La partie de saute-mouton

Art Historical Context

Step into the whimsical world Honoré Daumier withLa partie de saute-m* (The Leapfrog Game), a lithograph from 186 now housed in the National Gallery Art's Corcoran, generously gifted by Dr Armand Hammer. Daumier, a of 19th-century French caricature and Realism, captured everyday and follies with sharp wit, often through affordable like this one. Lithography Daumier's preferred medium, allowing him to expressive, mass-repro images that critiqued bourgeois under the Second Empire. print likely depicts children or urban folk-leapfrog—a boous game symbolizing unbrid childhood energy amid France's industrializing. Daumier's dynamic lines and exaggerated forms infuse scene with humor and humanity, satire with tender observation. part of the Prints department (CG-E), this work exemplifies Daumier's prolific output of over 4,000 lithographs, which brought art to the masses via newspapers. It invites us to reflect on timeless playfulness, reminding visitors of art's power to freeze fleeting moments of delight.

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...