A literary argument on the second tier, plate 3 from Croquis Pris Au Théatre par Daumier
published February 27, 1864
Medium
Lithograph in black on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 23.7 × 21.8 cm (9 3/8 × 8 5/8 in.); Sheet: 33.4 × 26 cm (13 3/16 × 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
157926
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier’sograph *A literary argument on the second tier* captures a lively moment in a Parisian theater balcony, where elegantly dressed spectators appear engrossed in a heated discussion about literature. Created as plate 3 in the series *Croquis Pris au Théâtre*, the work reflects Daumier’s keen eye for the social rituals of 19th-century French audiences. Published on February 27, 1864, during the Second Empire, the print gently satirizes the cultural pretensions of the bourgeoisie, who treated the theater as both entertainment and a stage for displaying their sophistication. Daumier...
About the Artist
Honoré-Victorin Daumier · 1808–1879
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...