Vilain dormeur, va! 1838

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, titled "Vilain dormeur, va!" or "Ugly sleeper, go!", at some point in his career, which spanned much of the 19th century in France. This image presents a scene of domestic life, but it's not exactly harmonious. Daumier was known for his satirical and politically charged works, often critiquing the bourgeoisie and the social norms of his time, and his art frequently appeared in journals such as Le Charivari. Looking at the image, we see a woman sitting up in bed, looking less than pleased with her sleeping partner. The phrase underneath the image offers a clue to the social context, suggesting tensions within a bourgeois marriage. Daumier exaggerates the man's unattractive features and uses sharp lines to emphasize the woman's frustration. To understand Daumier's work fully, it helps to delve into the social history of 19th-century France, researching the dynamics of marriage and the economic realities that shaped relationships. Art historical resources, like period publications and scholarly articles, help us to contextualize this image. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.