Honoré DaumierFrench, 1808–1879Le liseur
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London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
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- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
This drawing showing a lawyer reading is emblematical of the work of Honoré Daumier (1808-79). The artist was well versed in the workings of the law courts, having been condemned to a six month jail for having caricatured King Louis-Philippe in his engraving Gargantua. After his release, Daumier frequently visited the courts, where members of the legal profession provided him with a wealth of subjects for caricature.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- CAI.123A
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Meanwhile, in the life of Honoré Daumier
The whole life1858
Serious Illness
In 1858 Daumier suffered a serious illness.
1860
Le Charivari Dropped His Caricatures
After thirty years of continuous work, the popularity of Daumier's caricatures declined, and in 1860 Le Charivari dismissed him from its staff. Years of hardship followed, but also of free time for painting — a period of great productivity and artistic growth.
1863
Departure from the Île Saint-Louis to Montmartre
By 1863 Daumier was selling off his furniture to raise funds; he left the Île Saint-Louis and in 1863–1865 moved through a succession of lodgings in Montmartre, losing touch with many of his friends.
1865
Settling in Valmondois
After spending the summer of 1865 in Valmondois with Théodore Rousseau, whose health was failing, Daumier soon left Montmartre for good and rented a small cottage in Valmondois, where he lived for the rest of his life.
c. 1865 – 1866
Onset of Failing Eyesight
Around 1865–1866 Daumier's eyesight began to fail; the condition progressed, though he continued to make drawings and poster sketches as late as 1872 and painted almost until his death.
1871
Joining the Paris Commune
In 1871 Daumier enrolled as a member of the Paris Commune.
