Landscape painters at work, published in Souvenirs d'Artistes

Art Historical Context

In this lively lithograph titled *Landscape Painters at Work*, created by the renowned French caricaturist Honoré Daier and published in *Souvenirs distes* on August , 1862, we see Daumier's sharp wit at play. Printed in the second state of two (as cataloged by Delteil), image measures 8 1/16 × 10 9/16 inches and captures a humorous scene of male landscape painters—seemingly more devoted to napping than to their easels amid scenic vistas. Daumier, a master of social satire during France's Second Empire, often poked fun at the art world, highlighting the pretensions and idlenesses of his contemporaries. Lithography, Daumier's preferred medium, allowed for bold lines, expressive shading, and mass production, making his critiques accessible to a wide audience through periodicals. This print exemplifies his realist style infused with caricature, blending keen observation of human folly with dynamic composition. Produced during a booming era for French printmaking, it reflects the cultural fascination with landscape art popularized by the Barbizon School, yet Daumier subverts it with irony. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928), this work invites visitors to chuckle at the timeless trope of the "starving artist"—reminding us that even in 1862, inspiration sometimes took a siesta.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Bertauts · 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...