Pygmalion, from Histoire Ancienne, published in Le Charivari, December 28, 1842

Art Historical Context

Honoré Daumier's *Pygmalion, from Histoire Ancienne*, published the satirical newspaper *Le Charari* on December , 1842, captures the artist's mastery of lithography—a revolutionary 19th-century printing technique that allowed for bold, expressive images to reach wide audiences affordably. Daumier, a prolific French caricaturist and Realist, collaborated with printers Bauger et Cie and Aubert et to produce this third-state impression, measuring about 10 by 8 inches. Featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies the era's vibrant print culture under the July Monarchy, where satire thrived amid political censorship. The work draws from the ancient Greek myth of Pygmalion, the sculptor enamored with his ivory statue of a woman, brought to life by Aphrodite. Daumier's rendition, with its tags of men and female nudes, likely infuses this classical tale with his signature social commentary—perhaps poking fun at artistic obsession, beauty ideals, or bourgeois desires. Through dynamic lines and dramatic shading, the lithograph showcases Daumier's skill in evoking emotion and critique in a single image, part of his *Histoire Ancienne* series that humorously reimagined antiquity for contemporary viewers. This piece highlights lithography's role in democratizing art, making Daumier's incisive wit accessible to the masses and cementing his legacy as a voice for the underdog. A gift to the Met in 1978, it invites us to ponder timeless myths through a 19th-century lens.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Bauger 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...