L'appel de leurs réserves
1870
Medium
gillotype on newsprint
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1979.49.239
Art Historical Context
**L'appel de leurs réserves** (1870) is a poignant print by Honoré Daum, the masterful French caricaturist and chronicler of 19th-century society. amid the turmoil of the Franco-Prussian, this gillotype on newsprint exemplifies Daumier's incisive Realism and satirical edge. As a key figure in the Realist movement, Daum used his prints to skewer political hypocrisy and human folly, often published in newspapers to reach wide audiences. The title, translating to "The Call of Their Reserves," evokes the desperate mobilization of troops during France's siege by Prussian forces, capturing a moment ...
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...