Sheet of Studies with a Dancer
19th century
Medium
Black chalk, pen and black ink, gray wash (recto); black chalk (verso)
Dimensions
11 7/8 x 10 7/16 in. (30.2 x 26.5cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alexander and Gregoire Tarnopol, 1978
Accession Number
1978.342
Tags
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier, a masterful 19th-century French renowned for his Realistic style and incisive social commentary, created this *Sheet of Studies with a* as a dynamic exploration of the human form in motion. Working amid the vibrant cultural scene of Second Empire Paris, Daum often sketched everyday life, theater performers, and dancers—figures who embodied both grace and the grind of urban existence. This drawing captures fleeting poses of male and female dancers, reflecting his fascination with movement and expression, drawn from life observations that infused his caricatures and paintings wit...
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...