Who painted Deux Avocats?

Deux Avocats was painted by Honoré Daumier in 1850.

Where can I see Deux Avocats?

Deux Avocats is held by Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon.

What movement is Deux Avocats?

Deux Avocats is associated with Realism.

Can I buy a print of Deux Avocats?

Museum-quality prints of Deux Avocats are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Deux Avocats

Honoré Daumier , 1850

Deux Avocats is an oil painting by the Realist artist Honoré Daumier. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1850, this oil on canvas by Honoré Daumier portrays a quiet interior scene featuring two seated figures. The work is part of the collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, where it remains on display as an example of Daumier’s lesser‑known genre paintings.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows two men positioned opposite each other in a modestly illuminated room. The figure on the left is dressed in a dark coat with a crisp white shirt, while his counterpart on the right wears a dark hat and coat. Their subdued expressions and the sparse setting suggest a moment of quiet contemplation or a private conversation, rendered without overt narrative cues.

Technique & Style

Daumier employs a restrained palette dominated by deep browns and muted grays, creating a somber mood. The handling of light follows a chiaroscuro approach: a narrow band of illumination falls on the faces and upper garments, while the surrounding space recedes into shadow, giving the figures a three‑dimensional presence within the confined room.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon’s holdings in the early twentieth century, though its exact acquisition path is not fully documented. It has been referenced in scholarly catalogues of Daumier’s oeuvre as an illustration of his interest in everyday subjects and his skill in rendering atmospheric interior scenes.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Honoré-Victorin Daumier was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, whose many works offer commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870.