Date of Award

9-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Art History and Visual Culture

Department

Art

First Advisor

Nadia Pawelchak McDonald

Second Advisor

Trenton Olsen

Third Advisor

Khristin Landry

Abstract

Honoré Daumier, renowned for his career as a political cartoonist in 19th-century France, created a substantial body of personal works that have received comparatively little scholarly attention. This thesis focuses on Daumier's paintings, particularly those created during his midlife (1848-1864), examining their distinctively serious qualities and emotional depth. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining art historical analysis and psychobiography, this research explores the previously unrecognized connection between Daumier's paintings and his private life experiences. Central to this study is an in-depth analysis of Le Fardeau, a painting that exemplifies Daumier's artistic evolution and emotional expression during a period marked by personal tragedy and societal upheaval. The recurrence of family themes and motifs of struggle in Daumier's midlife paintings suggests a process of working through grief and societal observations through his art. Therefore, this thesis argues that Daumier's paintings, far from being mere depictions of observed scenes or extensions of his political commentary, were profound expressions of his inner emotional landscape. By integrating personal symbolism with social commentary, Daumier created works that resonated on both individual and universal levels. This interpretation challenges previous assumptions about Daumier's motivations for painting and offers a more nuanced understanding of his artistic legacy.

The research draws on events from Daumier’s personal life and explores current understandings of the relationship between psychobiography and artistic creation. By applying psychobiographical methods to art historical analysis, this study provides new insights into Daumier's artistic process and the role of personal experience in shaping artistic output. This interdisciplinary approach not only enriches our understanding of Daumier's oeuvre but also demonstrates the value of integrating psychobiographical perspectives into art historical research. The thesis contributes to broader discussions in art history about the relationship between an artist's life experiences and their creative work, the nature of Realism, and the importance of considering emotional and psychological factors in artistic analysis.

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