At the Musée d’Orsay, Paris, you can see these sculptured portraits of celebrities by French artist Honoré Daumier (February 26, 1808 – February 10 or 11, 1879). Created between 1832 and 1835, Les Célébrités du Juste-Milieu (The Celebrities of the Golden Mean) terracotta look remarkably modern, an impression enhanced by some of the faces from back then bearing no varying degrees of likeness to contemporary names. The portrait above has shades of President Donald Trump. Below, is one that resembles one of Trump’s predecessors, Ronald Reagan.
Honoré Daumier made 40 busts at the behest of Charles Philipon (1800-1862), founder of the satirical newspapers La Caricature, distributed in Paris between 1830 and 1843 during the July Monarchy, and Le Charivari (1832 to 1937). Made from raw earth painted in oil, Daumier used the heads as models for Daumier for lithographs published in Philipon’s newspapers.
Daumier was prolific satirists, and he was jailed for several months in 1832 after the publication of Gargantua, a particularly offensive depiction of the King, Louis Philippe.
After his release Daumier resumed publishing political lithographs until the September Laws were passed in 1835, limiting the freedom of the press.
Gargantua. from the journal La Caricature by Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879)
Would you like to support Flashbak?
Please consider making a donation to our site. We don't want to rely on ads to bring you the best of visual culture. You can also support us by signing up to our Mailing List. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop.
