J'ai vu Seigneur... votre malheureux fils...
1841
Medium
lithograph
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.2981
Art Historical Context
**J'ai vu Seigneur... votreux fils... (1841)** by Honoré Daumier the dramatic intensity for which this French artist is renowned. Created during the July Monarchy, a period of political tension under King Louis-Philippe, Daier was a leading caricaturist whose works often skewered the era's social hypocrisies, legal injustices, and theatrical excesses. This poignant title—"I saw, Lord... your unfortunate son..."—evokes a moment of profound sorrow, likely drawing from religious or dramatic sources to comment on human tragedy. As a lithograph, the print showcases Daumier's mastery of this revolu...
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...