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Honore Daumier

A master of lithography and one of the fiercest visual commentators of his time, Honoré Daumier (1808-1879) used printmaking to expose the absurdities of power and the injustices of society. Working in Paris throughout the 19th century, he produced thousands of lithographs, wood engravings, and drawings that appeared in satirical journals like La Caricature and Le Charivari. With biting wit and exaggerated expression, Daumier turned contemporary politics, law, and bourgeois life into subjects of blistering critique and dark humor.
Though admired by artists and critics during his life, Daumier died in poverty, nearly blind and forgotten. It was the generosity of fellow artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot who quietly purchased Daumier’s house and allowed him to live there rent-free, that provided him a final measure of peace. Today, Daumier is rightly recognized as one of France’s greatest satirists and a towering figure in the history of political art.