Les amateurs d’estampes

»The Print Lovers« has a thematic affinity to the series »Art Lovers«, which Honoré Daumier also produced as lithographs and watercolors. But whereas the »Art Lovers« in his graphic works are staged as caricatures, placing them in the proximity of Daumier’s satirical main work, his paintings depict them with sensitivity and in a serious atmosphere.

The small size of the painting testifies to the intimacy of the scene, which is rendered in light-dark contrasts. While the room is bathed in deep shadow, the light falling on the heads of the two art lovers and the open album highlights the actual topic of the picture: the fascinated, serene gaze of the men completely absorbed in the contemplation of art. The skilled use of directional light contributes to the impression of a very private moment observed by chance, which Daumier lends an aura of tranquility and devotion.