Ah! Fouchtrra! ... Ma femme ...

Art Historical Context

**Ah! Fouchtrra! ... Ma ...** (1841) is a lively lithograph by Honoréumier, the master of 19th-century French satire. Printed during the July Monarchy, this work captures Daumier's signature style: exaggerated expressions and dynamic compositions that poke fun at everyday life. The title's phonetic outburst—"Ah! Fouchtrra! ... My wife—hints at a comedic domestic mishap, likely skewering marital woes or bourgeois pretensions with Daumier's trademark wit. As a lithograph, the piece showcases the medium's revolutionary potential for mass reproduction, allowing Daumier's sharp social commentary to reach wide audiences through journals like *La Caricature*. By 1841, Daumier had honed this technique to brilliant effect, blending Realism's gritty observation with caricature's bite. His prints often critiqued the era's political and social hypocrisies, though this one leans into universal humor. Now part of the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection (gift of Dr. Armand Hammer), it exemplifies Daumier's enduring legacy in printmaking. Visitors will delight in its raw energy—a snapshot of 1840s France that still resonates today.

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...