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The Oyster. (You’ll wake me up at dinner time.) Big, fat, thick, plump, greedy, wakes up only for the purpose of taking in food and sleeps only for the purpose of digesting it. The oyster does not eat for living, but lives for eating. Its locomotive and industrial apparatus are non existent. It vegetates on the spot and its existence is manifested only by the exactitude, the number and the quality of the meals. The entire energy of the oyster is located in the stomach. One might call it an animal of pleasure, its only mission in life being to consume without working, while others work without consuming. It seems to be perfectly at ease with this providential mission. (Lacépède – Natural History.)
Public Domain

Honoré Daumier

The Oyster. (You’ll wake me up at dinner time.) Big, fat, thick, plump, greedy, wakes up only for the purpose of taking in food and sleeps only for the purpose of digesting it. The oyster does not eat for living, but lives for eating. Its locomotive and industrial apparatus are non existent. It vegetates on the spot and its existence is manifested only by the exactitude, the number and the quality of the meals. The entire energy of the oyster is located in the stomach. One might call it an animal of pleasure, its only mission in life being to consume without working, while others work without consuming. It seems to be perfectly at ease with this providential mission. (Lacépède – Natural History.)

1837

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The Oyster. (You’ll wake me up at dinner time.) Big, fat, thick, plump, greedy, wakes up only for the purpose of taking in food and sleeps only for the purpose of digesting it. The oyster does not eat for living, but lives for eating. Its locomotive and industrial apparatus are non existent. It vegetates on the spot and its existence is manifested only by the exactitude, the number and the quality of the meals. The entire energy of the oyster is located in the stomach. One might call it an animal of pleasure, its only mission in life being to consume without working, while others work without consuming. It seems to be perfectly at ease with this providential mission. (Lacépède – Natural History.)

Honoré Daumier

The Oyster. (You’ll wake me up at dinner time.) Big, fat, thick, plump, greedy, wakes up only for the purpose of taking in food and sleeps only for the purpose of digesting it. The oyster does not eat for living, but lives for eating. Its locomotive and industrial apparatus are non existent. It vegetates on the spot and its existence is manifested only by the exactitude, the number and the quality of the meals. The entire energy of the oyster is located in the stomach. One might call it an animal of pleasure, its only mission in life being to consume without working, while others work without consuming. It seems to be perfectly at ease with this providential mission. (Lacépède – Natural History.)

Honoré Daumier

The Oyster. (You’ll wake me up at dinner time.) Big, fat, thick, plump, greedy, wakes up only for the purpose of taking in food and sleeps only for the purpose of digesting it. The oyster does not eat for living, but lives for eating. Its locomotive and industrial apparatus are non existent. It vegetates on the spot and its existence is manifested only by the exactitude, the number and the quality of the meals. The entire energy of the oyster is located in the stomach. One might call it an animal of pleasure, its only mission in life being to consume without working, while others work without consuming. It seems to be perfectly at ease with this providential mission. (Lacépède – Natural History.)

1837

Physical Qualities Crayon lithograph, Sheet: 292 x 203 mm. (11 1/2 x 8 in.)
Portfolio/Series Plate 4 from the series "Cours d'histoire naturelle"
Credit Line Bequest of Dr. Raymond D. Havens
Object Number 1955.197e

Artist

Honoré Daumier

French, 1808-1879

Meet Honoré Daumier
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BY SAME ARTIST
PRINTS, DRAWINGS & PHOTOGRAPHS
NADAR ELEVATING PHOTOGRAPHY TO ART
Honoré Daumier
Nadar Elevating Photography to Art
1862
ROBERT MACAIRE BOOKSELLER. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WOULD THERE BE ANYONE IN THIS PLEASANT PLACE WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE HIMSELF A NICE LITTLE INCOME, WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AND WITHOUT WORKING?... IF THERE IS SOMEONE HE SHOULD STOCK MY PRIMERS... YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A BOOKSELLER TO BE A SPECIALIST IN THIS TRADE, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO READ, QUITE THE CONTRARY!... YOU ONLY HAVE TO PAY ME A DEPOSIT... THE BIGGER THE BETTER, AS THE SAYING GOES.
Honoré Daumier
Robert Macaire bookseller. Ladies and gentlemen, would there be anyone in this pleasant place who'd like to make himself a nice little income, without difficulty and without working?... If there is someone he should stock my primers... You don't have to be a bookseller to be a specialist in this trade, you don't even have to know how to read, quite the contrary!... You only have to pay me a deposit... The bigger the better, as the saying goes.
1836
UN GUICHET DE THÉATRE.
Charles Maurand and Honoré Daumier
Un Guichet de théatre.
1862
MONSIEUR ALFRED CABASSOL! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE IN THE CLASS WHO SUCCEEDED TO GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE WEEK WITHOUT BLOWING YOUR NOSE INTO YOUR SLEEVE. PLEASE STAND TO RECEIVE THIS PRIZE OF HONOUR FOR CLEANLINESS.
Honoré Daumier
Monsieur Alfred Cabassol! You are the only one in the class who succeeded to get through the entire week without blowing your nose into your sleeve. Please stand to receive this prize of honour for cleanliness.
1846
CROQUADE DIVERS
Unknown Artist and Honoré Daumier
Croquade Divers
1840
IN DEEP CONTEMPLATION IN FRONT OF THE NAVE OF THE OPERA..... OR COULD IT BE THE ONE AT THE PORTE ST. MARTIN?... OR MAYBE EVEN AT THE AMBIGU THEATER!... NO MATTER WHERE IT MIGHT BE,... THEY ARE CONTEMPLATING A NAVE.
Honoré Daumier
In deep contemplation in front of the nave of the opera..... or could it be the one at the Porte St. Martin?... or maybe even at the Ambigu Theater!... no matter where it might be,... they are contemplating a nave.
1856
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
c. 1903
DELIGHTED TO FIND HIMSELF ON SHOW, THE ORIGINAL TAKES HIS WIFE TO THE EXHIBITION, AND PLACES HER BEFORE HIS IMAGE TO ENJOY THE OPINION OF THE CROWD. - LOOK, SOME SAY, IT'S THE CHINESE COMMISSIONER LIN! - NO, OTHERS SAY, DON'T YOU SEE, IT'S NATURAL HISTORY! - IT'S... RESUMES ONE GENTLEMAN IN POSSESSION OF THE CATALOGUE, IT'S THE PORTRAIT OF MR. D..... INSURANCE BROKER: - OH WELL, WITH A BONCE LIKE THAT HE DOESN'T NEED TO INSURE HIMSELF, HE'LL NOT
Honoré Daumier
Delighted to find himself on show, the original takes his wife to the exhibition, and places her before his image to enjoy the opinion of the crowd. - Look, some say, it's the Chinese commissioner Lin! - No, others say, don't you see, it's natural history! - It's... resumes one gentleman in possession of the catalogue, it's the portrait of Mr. D..... insurance broker: - Oh well, with a bonce like that he doesn't need to insure himself, he'll not easily be snatched up. (Madame, his wife, leaves exceedingly flattered)
1842
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
c. 1903
FATHER HANGING AROUND THE HOME WHILE FAMILY WORKS ON FEATHERS
Lewis Hine
Father Hanging Around the Home While Family Works on Feathers
1911
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
n.d.
A BREACH OF TRUST. THESE VILLAINS! HOW IMMORAL TO STEAL THE CLOTHES FROM A PRISON LAWYER, WHILE HE INNOCENTLY TAKES A SWIM BENEATH NATURE'S PROTECTION. WITHOUT MY HAT, I'D HAVE TO GO HOME NAKED! WHAT TIMES ARE WE LIVING IN!
Honoré Daumier
A breach of trust. These villains! How immoral to steal the clothes from a prison lawyer, while he innocently takes a swim beneath nature's protection. Without my hat, I'd have to go home naked! What times are we living in!
1842