Honoré Daumier, Parisians Surprised by the Tide, Lithograph, 1852

Parisiens surpris par la marée (…) is a b/w lithograph (plate n.13) from the satirical series “Les Trains de Plaisir”, composed of caricatures “de mœurs” (of behaviours), realized by Honoré Daumier (France, 1808-1879). Published by the Maison Martinet, Paris, this plate appeared on the French periodical, Le Charivari, on September 18th, 1852. Printed by the lithographer Charles Trinocq. Reference: H. Delteil, Catalogue Raisonnée, 2337. Inscriptions: Monogrammed on stone, h.D, 438. Complete Caption: Parisiens surpris par la marée montante; autre émotion maritime. Superb specimen, full margins, depicting a amusing scene of ”Parisians surprised by the rising of tide”, is in excellent condition, with imperceptible aging signs (light redness and some traces of oxydation on the margins). Honoré-Victorin Daumier (Marseille,1808 – Valmondois, 1879) The French painter, sculptor, and printmaker, best-known as the “Michelangelo of the caricatures”, Honoré Daumier, offers us commentary on the social and political life in France, from the Revolution of 1830 to the fall of the second Napoleonic Empire in 1870. Caricatures and cartoons of political figures, satirizing the behavior of his countrymen in newspapers and periodicals was his main activity, for which he became popular in his lifetime and is remebered and appreciate still today. He was a republican democrat whose targets were the bourgeoisie, the church, lawyers and the judiciary, politicians, and the monarchy. His talented and satiric pencil had a very high cost on his life: he was jailed for several months in 1832 after the publication of Gargantua because of a offensive depiction of King Louis-Philippe. Charles Baudelaire noticed the Daumier's production and greatly admired his paintings, which were to have an influence on a younger generation of impressionist and postimpressionist painters. Later generations have come to recognize Daumier as one of the great French artists of the 19th century. Daumier was prolific artist that produced more than 100 sculptures, 500 paintings, 1000 drawings, 1000 wood engravings, and 4000 lithographs.