Nouveau système de pendule ...
1855
Medium
lithograph
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of Dr. Armand Hammer)
Accession Number
2015.143.631
Art Historical Context
**Nouveau système de pendule...** (1855) is a striking lithograph by Honoré Daumier, the renowned French artist and caricaturist whose sharp social commentary defined 19th-century printmaking. Daumier, active during the turbulent eras of the July Monarchy and Second Empire, produced over 4,000 lithographs critiquing French society—from corrupt lawyers and pompous bourgeoisie to political hypocrisy. This work, likely part of his *Physionomie de l'avocat* series or similar satirical suites, pokes fun at a "new pendulum system," perhaps mocking bureaucratic innovations or the relentless swing of ...
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...