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Isaac Kolding's avatar

Thanks for posting the caricature and saving me a google search! Along with these paintings, it’s pretty great.

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Jenn's avatar

Ahhhh, I love Daumier. Incidentally, I’m sure you know that they started depicting him as a pear to avoid the censorship; he sort of resembled a pear . Love the paintings of his you chose today, and thank you for highlighting a man who I feel is a bit overlooked!

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Susan Scheid's avatar

Such a simple scene, yet so intensely dramatic. Here, as so often, you make wonderful use of close-up details. It was fascinating to see The Potato Eaters and Third Class Carriage in such close proximity. The two paintings resonate so strongly with one another, almost as if Daumier and Van Gogh painted their works side-by-side.

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Wells Of Goodness's avatar

I love The Third Class Carriage. He makes me feel like I am there, sitting across from this trio, a place of peace, calm and safety in the midst of the noise and smell and crowded jostle around us. Thanks George! Art is so nourishing!

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Roman S Shapoval's avatar

I can certainly relate to that old man gripping the table! The prison sentence is yet another reminder of how powerful artists are in a world of darkness - they are the meek candle exploding a new dawn for humanity.

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Robert Sheridan's avatar

Only prison? For depicting the king like that? :)

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George Bothamley's avatar

Good point! I think 19th century French prison was definitely not an easy place - but he may well have been lucky not to get a more severe punishment.

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Here To Listen's avatar

What a brilliant artist, I just love the chess players. There is such a confidence in his brush strokes and composition, that allows the viewer to relax when viewing, a kind of ‘he’s got this’ I can let his painting lead me. Also on another note the caricature is just fantastic, again a man with such confidence, no wonder what he’s trying to convey…it took me awhile to notice under the throne, but I love what the king is pooping out…looks like laws and decrees, hilarious 😂

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Oluseyi Akinyode's avatar

Is it me or does the younger gentleman look slouchily relaxed. It creates a nice contrast with the older man. There’s also the diagonal moving downward from left to right.

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George Bothamley's avatar

That’s a really good observation. I think both of those things are very much intentional from Daumier to add to the composition.

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Joel Wisniewski's avatar

George,

"... (Something which, if anything, gained him even more popularity among certain segments of the French public during this tumultuous political period in the country!)"

A certain gentleman may be amused to have this painting above the mantel in his new house.

Sorry. My apologies. It was low-hanging fruit.

Joel

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Mike Isaac's avatar

Thank you again! We have 2 Daumiers that I know of in London galleries - Don Quixote at the Courtauld, and the National Gallery. There was a Daumier exhibition at the RA about 10 years ago.

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George Bothamley's avatar

That’s cool. I think I’ve seen his Don Quixote - but never really seen many more of his paintings in real.

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Nancy Hesting's avatar

That's quite a caricature. His paintings, however, are rather dark and mysterious looking.

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