Ouverture de la chasse
1855
Medium
lithograph
Dimensions
image: 7 1/8 x 10 1/4 in. (18.1 x 26.04 cm)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of Dr. Armand Hammer)
Accession Number
2015.143.639
Art Historical Context
**Ouverture de la chasse (Opening of the Hunt), 1855** Honoré Daumier, a master of 19th-century French caricature, created *Ouverture de la chasse* as a lithograph in 1855. This lively print, measuring just 7 1/8 x 10 1/4 inches, captures Daumier's signature style: bold, expressive lines and exaggerated figures that skewer social norms. Produced during the early years of Napoleon III's Second Empire, it reflects the era's burgeoning print culture, where lithography allowed artists like Daumier to disseminate sharp social commentary to a wide audience through newspapers such as *Le Charivari*....
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...