Honoré Daumier

Honore Daumier was a French artist known for his satirical caricatures. Born in Marseilles to artist parents, he moved to Paris early in his childhood and studied under Alexandre Lenoir. Drawings by Honore Daumier show him as a multitalented, trailblazing artist, who beyond his caricatures created various forms of realism art, sculptures, and graphic art. Daumier lithograph prints were often political in nature.

Because of their sharp focus on current affairs, Daumier prints were controversial, particularly his caricature of King Louis-Phillipe, which got him imprisoned in 1832. Daumier's prints were often comments on the government, the upper class, and society in general. Balzac noted that Daumier had a bit of Michelangelo under his skin, and that Honore Daumier's artwork was well ahead of the times. Buy lithographs at auction and online to round out your Victorian art collection.