O Lune!...Inspire-moi ce soir quelque petite pensée..., from Les Bas-Bleus, published in Le Charivari, February 28, 1844

Art Historical Context

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, published on February 28, 1844, in the satirical French journal *Le Charivari captures a moment of quiet longing under the night sky. The image shows a solitary man gazing at the moon, his posture and raised hand suggesting a plea for creative inspiration. The title, translating roughly to “O Moon!... Inspire me this evening with some small thought...,” hints at the romantic poet’s eternal search for muse, here gently observed through Daumier’s sharp yet affectionate eye. Created as part of the series *Les Bas-Bleus* (“The Bluestockings”), the print belongs to a broader commentary on intellectual and literary life in mid-nineteenth-century Paris. Daumier, a master of lithography, used the medium’s fluid lines and tonal range to reach a wide audience through the popular press. The third state of the print, as noted in Delteil’s catalogue, reflects the artist’s careful refinement of expression and detail. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, the work offers a charming window into the era’s cultural debates while showcasing Daumier’s gift for turning everyday gestures into enduring social observation. Its modest scale and direct address invite viewers to share both the humor and the humanity of the moment.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Aubert et Cie|Aubert et Cie · 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...