Study of Reverence for the Quadrille of the Lancers, plate 380 from Actualités

Art Historical Context

Honoré Daumier, the renowned 19th-century French caricist and lithographer, captures the elegant yet absurd world of Parisian high society in his *Study of Reverence for theille of the Lancers (plate 380 fromActualités*), created in 1857. This lithograph depicts a poised figure mid-reverence—a formal bow or curtsy from the Lancers quadrille, a popular square dance of the era derived from British military traditions and all the rage in Second Empire ballrooms. Daumier's sharp eye for human folly turns this social ritual into a humorous study of stiff formality and pretension. Published amid the opulent excess of Napoleon III's regime, the print belongs to Daumier's *Actualités* series, which chronicled contemporary life through biting satire. Over his career, Daumier produced thousands of lithographs critiquing the bourgeoisie, politicians, and cultural vanities, often facing censorship for his boldness. Here, the Lancers dance symbolizes the era's obsession with refined leisure, contrasting the working class's struggles Daumier so often championed. Rendered in bold black ink on white wove paper (image 20.4 × 24.8 cm), the lithograph showcases Daumier's masterful technique: fluid, expressive lines drawn on limestone that allowed mass production and widespread commentary. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this work invites us to chuckle at timeless social posturing while appreciating lithography's role in democratizing art.

About the Artist

Honoré-Victorin Daumier · 1808–1879

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...