And you, what do you like best at this year's Salon? The beer!, from 'The public at the exhibition,' published in Le Petit Journal pour Rire, June 18, 1864
June 18, 1864
Medium
Lithograph on newsprint; third state of four (Delteil)
Dimensions
Image: 8 7/8 × 8 11/16 in. (22.6 × 22 cm) Sheet: 17 3/8 × 11 3/4 in. (44.2 × 29.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962
Accession Number
62.650.477
Tags
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier’s lively lithograph captures a witty moment social observation at the Paris of 1864 Published in the popular satirical journal *Le Petit Journal pour Rire*, the print shows two men at the prestigious exhibition—one eagerly asking what companion enjoys most, only to receive the candid, “The beer!” scene pokes gentle fun at the crowds who attended the annual Salon less for the paintings than for the chance to socialize, smoke, and refresh themselves. Daumier, a master of caricature and lithography, used bold, expressive lines to convey character and humor in works meant for mass ...
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...