Charles-Guillaume Etienne c. 1832 - 1950

Honoré Daumier created this bronze sculpture, Charles-Guillaume Etienne. Note how the form appears compressed, almost as if contained by the weight of its own presence. The rough texture of the bronze adds to this feeling of mass. Daumier masterfully uses distortion to convey character. The exaggerated features and the asymmetry of the face create a sense of unease. It is in this tension between representation and abstraction that the sculpture finds its power. Daumier’s approach can be seen as a commentary on the structures of power and representation, revealing how portraiture could be used not just to depict, but to critique. The materiality of the bronze, rough and unrefined, emphasizes the corporeal nature of the subject. The sculpture remains a powerful statement on the artist's ability to unearth the subtle interplay of form and meaning.