{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O517504"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O517504/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HN6291/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HN6291/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HN6291","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/O517504/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O517504","accessionNumber":"CAI.121A","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"Tête de juge","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This drawing portraying a barrister 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":"Bust of a male figure wearing a hat seen  for the front","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Honoré Daumier","id":"A3169"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"Drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and black ink and wash on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HN6291","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":"1850s","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1859-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"108","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"93","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Mounted with CAI.121","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 in 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 focuses on the sullen face of a judge. Daumier was particularly interested in the gesture symbolizing the different categories of society. He often emphasized their linear features in such famous caricatures as, for instance, his rework on King Louis-Philippe changed into a pear by Philipon, and his small grotesque busts of parliamentarians sculpted about 1832. \r\n\r\nThe figure is here shown in a very dignified, serious, and almost harsh posture which emphasizes the sense of responsibility that a judge must carry. The sketch belongs to a wider series of studies in which the same judge (elderly face, closed expression, haughty attitude, and curly hair) is portrayed. In the drawing <i>Etude de Quatre Avocats</i> (Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago), the full-length character on the left side presents a similar face however less detailed. It also seems to be one of the primary ideas for the famous watercolour <i>Le Grand Escalier du Palais de Justice</i> (Baltimore, The Baltimore Museum of Art).  Moreover, in his painting <i>Les Deux Avocats</i> dated about 1858-62 (Lyon, Musée des Beaux-Arts), the character on the left hand side is clearly the outcome of the V&A study. \r\n\r\nDaumier was a prolific draughtsman hence the difficulty to date most of his sketches. However these often turn out to be preparatory studies for compositions later engraved or painted. \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…","briefDescription":"Drawing, 'Tête de juge', by Honoré Daumier, French school, 1850s","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"K.E. Maison, <u>Honore Daumier, Catalogue Raisonne of the Paintings, Watercolours and Drawings</u>, London 1968, vol. II, <u>The Watercolours and  Drawings</u>, London 1968, p.188, cat. no. 558 "},{"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.16. cat. no. 121a\r\n "}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CAI.121A"],"accessionNumberNum":"121","accessionNumberPrefix":"CAI","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-23","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}