L'unité allemande
1870
Medium
lithograph
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1978.104.2
Art Historical Context
**L'unité allemande** is a poignant lithograph by Honoréumier, created in 1870 and now housed in the National Gallery of Art, thanks to the Ailsa Bruce Fund. Daumier, a master French Realism and caricature, was renowned for his sharp social commentary through prints. This work falls squarely in his tradition of political satire, using the versatile medium of lithography—a process he perfected to produce bold, reproducible images that reached wide audiences via journals like *Le Charivari*. The title, translating to "German Unity," captures the tense historical moment of 1870, amid Otto von Bi...
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...