{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O517501"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O517501/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HN6590/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HN6590/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HN6590","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC2940","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O517501/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O517501","accessionNumber":"CAI.123A","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"Le liseur","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This drawing showing a lawyer reading is emblematical of the work of Honoré Daumier (1808-79). The artist was well versed in the workings of the law courts, having been condemned to a six month jail for having caricatured King Louis-Philippe in his engraving <i>Gargantua</i>. After his release, Daumier frequently visited the courts, where members of the legal profession provided him with a wealth of subjects for caricature.","physicalDescription":"Half-lenght portrait of a male figure wearing a robe and reading a piece of paper, with a cylindrical hat partially sketched on the top of his head. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Honore Daumier","id":"A3169"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"black chalk","id":"AAT80058"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and black ink over traces of chalk","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HN6590","2017KC2940"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"IONIDES","shelf":"3","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1860s","earliest":"1860-01-01","latest":"1869-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"147","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/05/2012","earliest":"2012-05-02","latest":"2012-05-02"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"120","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Mounted with CAI.123","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Recto: Lugt 488\r\nVerso: Lugt 2503"}],"objectHistory":"C.A. Ionides, by whom  bequeathed, 1900\r\n\r\n","historicalContext":"This drawing is characteristic of Daumier’s oeuvre and shows one of his favourite subjects: lawyers at court. The linear treatment of the figure is emblematical of his vigorous style, and reminiscent of his caricatures for the satirical journal <i>Le Charivari</i>. \r\n\r\nThis drawing draws from a recurrent thematic in Daumier’s career: reading activity, which shows the figures absorbed in his reading. The choice of this subject matter recalls such 17th century Flemish paintings as Vermeer’s compositions. \r\n\r\nThe sketch is connected to a large series of drawings: <i>Le Lecteur (Le liseur debout)</i> (Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen), <i>La Lecture (Le liseur assis)</i> (location unknown) and the finished oil painting <i>Le Liseur</i>, c. 1863-65 (Des Moines Art Center, The Nathan Emory Coffin Collection). The sketch is also linked to another oil painting showing a full-length lawyer reading a paper: <i>L’Avocat lisant</i> (Winthertur, private collection, about 1868-70).\r\n\r\nDaumier was most celebrated during his life time for his satirical and anti-monarchist illustrations rather than his paintings and drawings. This sheet is a good example of Daumier’s observation of the French society and its professional categories. He did a few series of sketches focusing on different categories such as musicians, comedians, art collectors, rustic life, saltimbanques…\r\n","briefDescription":"Drawing, 'Le Liseur' by Honoré Daumier, French school, 1860s","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"K.E. Maison, <u>Honoré  Daumier, Catalogue  Raisonné of the  Paintings, Watercolours  and Drawings</u>, London  1968, vol. II, <u>The  Watercolours and Drawings</u>, London 1968,  p.120, cat. no. 352 "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Basil S. Long, <u>Catalogue of the Constantine Alexander Ionides Collection</u>, vol. I,  <u>Paintings in Oil, Tempera and Water-Colour together with certain of the  Drawings</u>, London 1925, p.17. cat. no. 123a\r\n "}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CAI.123A"],"accessionNumberNum":"123","accessionNumberPrefix":"CAI","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-23","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}