Lunch in the Country 1868

Honoré Daumier painted “Lunch in the Country” with oil on canvas, probably sometime in the mid-19th century. Daumier's method involves building up layers of pigment, creating a textured surface. The brushstrokes are loose and expressive, and they give the painting a sense of immediacy. The artist has captured a slice of everyday life, a moment of respite for the working class. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun and smell the food. Daumier was a master of lithography, a printing technique that allowed him to create multiple copies of his images, which were then distributed in newspapers and magazines. This made his work accessible to a wide audience, and it allowed him to comment on the social and political issues of his day. Daumier’s prints often depicted the lives of ordinary people, capturing their struggles and triumphs. Here, the artist presents the dignity and humanity of people, showing them as worthy of attention as any historical figure.