Le garde national Rifolard ... by Honoré Daumier

Le garde national Rifolard ... 1848

0:00
0:00

lithograph, print

# 

lithograph

# 

print

# 

caricature

# 

romanticism

# 

genre-painting

Copyright: National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0

This lithograph, by Honoré Daumier, would have been printed on paper using a stone matrix and greasy inks. The lithographic process allowed artists to reproduce images quickly and cheaply, playing a crucial role in the rise of mass media and political satire. Daumier was a master of this medium, using its inherent qualities to capture the social and political life of 19th-century France. Look closely, and you'll see the marks of the crayon on the lithographic stone. Daumier's skillful application gives the image a sense of immediacy and energy. The print is titled "The National Guardsman Rifolard...". It depicts a guardsman leaving his family to attend a banquet. The image satirizes the pomposity and self-importance of the bourgeoisie, who often used their positions in the National Guard to advance their own social and political ambitions. Through lithography, Daumier democratized art, bringing it to a wider audience and challenging the traditional hierarchy between fine art and popular culture.

Show more

Comments

No comments

Be the first to comment and join the conversation on the ultimate creative platform.