Smell, plate 38 from Types Parisiens
Medium
Lithograph in black on white wove paper, with letterpress verso
Dimensions
Image: 20.1 × 22.9 cm (7 15/16 × 9 1/16 in.); Sheet: 25.3 × 35.8 cm (10 × 14 1/8 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21556
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier's *Smell, plate 38 from Types Parisiens* (1839) captures the vibrant, satirical spirit of 19th-century Paris through the lens of one of France's greatest caricaturists. Part of a renowned series depicting archetypal Parisian characters—from dandies to street vendors— this lithograph humorously portrays a figure engaged in the sensory act of smelling, likely poking fun at the quirks of everyday urban life. Daumier, a master of Realism and social commentary, used his prints to skewer the bourgeoisie and highlight human folly during the July Monarchy. Printed in black ink on white...
About the Artist
Honoré-Victorin Daumier · 1808–1879
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...