Daumier: visions of Paris

Abstract

This book sets out to explore Daumier's legacy through 130 works, many of which have never been seen in the UK before, with a concentration on paintings, drawings, watercolours and sculptures. Daumier made his living as a caricaturist in newspapers, observing and ridiculing the conceits of bourgeois society, reserving special criticism for dishonest politicians and lawyers; even earning himself a spell in jail for his depiction of King Louis Philippe as Gargantua. Broadly chronological, this catalogue is the first to go beyond Daumier's lithographs in the UK since 1961. Spanning the decades from 1830 to 1879 it will look at the range of his output, from disturbing images of fugitives from the cholera epidemics and deeply felt images of the laundresses and street entertainers living in his neighbourhood to his take on the role of spectators and collectors in judging art. In its variety and breadth, this exhibition will give visitors visions of Paris to live long in the memory.