A quarter of an hour after his death, he was still living, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, February 20, 1866

Art Historical Context

In the bustling world of 19th-century French satire Honoré Daumier reigns supreme as a master caricaturist, and this lithograph, *A quarter of an hour his death, he was living*, from the "News of the Day" series in *Leivari* (February 20, 1866), exemplifies his biting wit. Published during Napoleon III's Second Empire,Le Charivari* was a hotbed for political and social commentary, where Daumier—alongside possible collaborators Destouches and Arnaud de V—skewered the era's hypocrisies through exaggerated figures and ironic titles. The phrase evokes a darkly humorous take on death's lingering grip, blending men, women, and even birds in a tableau of absurdity. Printed on newsprint as the second state of two (per Delteil cataloguing), this lithograph measures about 10 by 15 inches and highlights the medium's revolutionary power: lithography allowed for quick, inexpensive reproduction, flooding Paris streets with Daumier's trenchant critiques. Daumier's loose, expressive lines captured human folly with empathetic exaggeration, making elites and everyday follies equally ridiculous. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1960, it stands as a testament to his prolific output—over 4,000 lithographs—challenging authority at personal risk, as Daumier himself faced imprisonment for his art. This piece invites visitors to chuckle at mortality's farce while pondering satire's role in democracy, a timeless reminder of art's power to provoke thought amid turmoil.

About the Artist

Destouches|Honoré Daumier|Arnaud de Vresse (French|French) · 1808 |1800 –1879 |1900

French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois|Paris