Street Musicians
Honoré Daumier·c. 1855
Historical Context
This painting of street musicians in the style of Daumier reflects the French master's powerful vision of urban life that influenced generations of painters. Daumier's paintings of musicians, performers, and the Parisian underclass possessed a monumental dignity that transcended their humble subjects. Works in his style perpetuated his distinctive combination of broad, sculptural brushwork with compassionate social observation.
Technical Analysis
The oil-on-panel technique emulates Daumier's characteristic bold, summary brushwork with figures defined by broad contrasts of light and dark. The restricted palette and simplified forms follow his approach of conveying character and atmosphere through essential, powerful means.
Provenance
Reinhardt Galleries, New York [this provenance is given in a receipt of November 25, 1929, in Art Institute Registrar’s office, copy in curatorial file, recording the loan of the painting from Joseph Winterbotham, Jr.]; Joseph Winterbotham, Jr. (died 1954), Burlington, Vermont, by 1929 [according to the receipt cited above and Chicago 1929]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago as part of the Joseph Winterbotham bequest in 1954.
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