An Awkward Situation, plate 52 from Les Bons Bourgeois
Medium
Lithograph in black on white wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 25.6 × 21.2 cm (10 1/8 × 8 3/8 in.); Sheet: 29.9 × 23.1 cm (11 13/16 × 9 1/8 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79940
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier, a master of 19th-century French satire, created *An Awkward Situation plate 52 from his series *Les Bons Bour* in 1847. This lithograph the pretentious and comically uncomfortable world of the rising middle class during France's July Monarchy, period of political tension under King Louis-Philippe. Daier's sharp wit targeted the "bons bourgeois"—the self-important shopkeepers and professionals—who aped aristocratic manners while navigating social faux pas. The image exemplifies Daumier's signature style: bold, exaggerated caricatures with expressive faces and dynamic poses that...
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...