Comment on donne... le goût de la navigation
1846
Medium
lithograph
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.3070
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier’s *Comment on donne... le goût la navigation* (1846) is a witty lithograph that captures the French artist’s signature satirical flair. Created during the July Monarchy, a period of political tension and social satire in France, Daum skewers everyday absurdities through exaggerated figures and expressive lines. The title, translating to “How one acquires... a taste for navigation,” pokes fun at the pretensions of the bourgeoisie discovering leisure pursuits like boating, reflecting the era’s growing fascination with travel and recreation amid industrial change. As a master of l...
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...