Le Tondeur de chiens, plate 21 from the series Bohémiens de Paris, published in Le Charivari

Art Historical Context

**Le Tondeur de chiensThe Dog Clipper)**, plate 21 from Honoré Daumier's *Bohémiens de Paris* series, captures the vibrant street life of 1840s Paris. in the satirical newspaper *Le Charari* on February , 1842, this lithograph depicts a bustling urban scene with men, women, dogs, buildings, and streets, centering on a dog groomer at work amid the city's colorful underbelly. Daumier, a master caricaturist, used these images to portray the bohemian wanderers and eccentrics who roamed Paris's neighborhoods, blending humor with keen social observation. Daumier's lithography technique allowed for bold lines, expressive faces, and dynamic compositions that could be mass-produced, making his biting commentaries accessible to a wide audience. This print reflects mid-19th-century France under King Louis-Philippe, a time when urbanization brought bohemian culture into sharp focus—romanticized yet gritty, as artists and satirists like Daumier highlighted the lives of the working class and marginalized figures often ignored by polite society. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection (bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011), this 13 11/16 x 10 1/16-inch sheet exemplifies Daumier's enduring legacy in printmaking, inviting viewers to chuckle at the everyday absurdities while pondering the human condition in a rapidly changing city.

About the Artist

Aubert et Cie|Honoré Daumier (French|French|French) · 1808 |1829 |1829 –1879 |1929 |1929

French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois| |