A Bercy: Nous faisons ... ce que nous pouvons ...

Art Historical Context

Honoré Daumier's *A Bercy: Nous faisons ... ce que nous pouvons* (1856) is a poignant lithograph capturing the gritty realities of working-class life in mid-19th-century Paris. Daumier, a master caricature and social commentary, produced this print during the Second French Empire under Napoleon III, a time of rapid industrialization and stark social divides. The title—"In Bercy: We do ... we can ..."—evokes the resignation of laborers in Paris's Bercy district, a hub for wine warehouses and manual toil, where porters and workers toiled under grueling conditions. As a lithograph, the work showcases Daumier's virtuosic technique in this mass-reproducible medium, which allowed him to disseminate sharp critiques through publications like *Le Charivari*. His expressive lines and dramatic shading convey empathy for the underclass, blending realism with satirical bite—a hallmark of his oeuvre of over 4,000 prints. This piece highlights the artist's commitment to exposing inequality, making it a vital document of French social history. Now part of the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection (gift of Dr. Armand Hammer), the lithograph invites visitors to reflect on timeless struggles of endurance amid hardship.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier · 1810–1879

Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor whose works offered incisive commentary on the social and political life of 19th-century France. Known as the 'Michelangelo of Caricature,' Daumier produced over 4,000 lithographs, 500 paintings, 1,000 drawings, and 100 sculptures during his lifetime. His biting political satire led to his imp...