Douze ans et demi et trois premiers prix 1839

"Douze ans et demi et trois premiers prix, Heureux Parents!" (Twelve and a half years old and three first prizes, Happy Parents!) is a lithograph created in 1839 by Honoré Daumier, a prominent French artist known for his satirical caricatures. This work, depicting a proud family walking through a Parisian street, is a quintessential example of Daumier’s biting social commentary. The exaggerated features of the parents, particularly the father's long, thin nose, emphasize the absurdity of their pride in their precocious son, who is already adorned with awards at such a young age. Daumier's powerful yet humorous style, using bold lines and contrasts in light and shadow, effectively conveys the social critiques that made him a celebrated and controversial artist of his time.