The Ribalds
Honoré Daumier
HONORÉ DAUMIER, 1848. OIL ON CANVAS.
A prolific artist and a professional caricaturist, these two pursuits, which to Daumier seemed hardly worth distinguishing, were at odds with each other in the public eye. Born into a working-class family, Daumier worked tirelessly from the age of 12 training as an artist and developing a keen eye for the details of society and a revolutionary witticism. By 20 he was producing caricatures for satirical political papers and was arrested for his unflattering depictions of the King Louis Philippe I. This brought with it renown and favour, his works were seen by many and well admired across society yet when he tried to show his paintings and his work as a fine artist, he was rejected almost outright for stepping out of his lane. Few recognised his artistic brilliance and saw his value only as a caricaturist. In the final year of his life, a solo show of his work was shown and, in the months before he died, he received the recognition that had been kept from him.