Dismayed with her legacy, published in 'L'Album du Siège,' 1871

Art Historical Context

Honoré Daumier, a master of 19th-century French caricature and lithography, created *Dismayed with her* in 1871 as part of *L'Album du Si*, a poignant series responding to the devastating Siege of Paris during the Francoussian War (187071). This lithograph captures the era's turmoil through Daumier's signature satirical lens, likely commenting on personal or societal reckonings amid national crisis. The title evokes a woman's disappointment, aligning with the print's tag focused on female figures and Daumier's frequent portrayal of everyday struggles, social inequities, and human emotion. Printed on wove paper in the third state of three (as cataloged by Delteil), the work exemplifies lithography's versatility for mass commentary—Daumier produced thousands of such images for periodicals. Measuring just 9 1/8 × 7 1/8 inches, its intimate scale belies its sharp critique, using bold lines and expressive distortion to convey dismay. This technique allowed rapid dissemination of political satire, making art a weapon against hardship. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957), it reminds visitors of lithography's role in documenting history's raw moments, blending artistry with urgent cultural commentary on war's toll, especially through women's eyes.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier · 1810–1879

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...