Comment se termine ... une conversation conugale

Art Historical Context

Honoré Daumier, a masterful French lithographer and caricaturist, created *Comment se termine ... une conversation conjugale* ("How a Marital Conversation Ends...") in 1846. This print captures Daumier's signature satirical wit, poking fun at the tensions of bourgeois domestic life during France's July Monarchy. Amidst political unrest and social upheaval, Daumier produced 4,000 lithographs for like *Le Charivari*, using humor to critique the pretensions and petty dramas of the middle class. The title hints at a comedic yet poignant marital spat, likely rendered with Daumier's expressive, dynamic lines that convey emotion through exaggerated gestures and shadowed faces. As a lithograph—a revolutionary printing technique allowing for rich tonal variations and mass reproduction—the work exemplifies how Daumier democratized art, making sharp social commentary accessible to a wide audience. His realist style, infused with caricature, humanizes universal experiences like discord in marriage, blending empathy with mockery. Now part of the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection (gift of Dr. Armand Hammer), this piece highlights Daumier's enduring legacy as a chronicler of 19th-century French society, inviting viewers to chuckle at—and reflect on—the timeless absurdities of wedded bliss.

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...