The artwork titled “Baron Joseph de Podenas (1782-1851), Deputy” is a clay sculpture by the renowned artist Honoré Daumier, created in 1833. This piece exemplifies the Realism art movement and resides in the Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.
The sculpture portrays Baron Joseph de Podenas, capturing his features with a distinct caricature-like approach, common in Daumier’s work. The clay material is manipulated to depict exaggerated facial features, giving the sculpture a humorous yet poignant reflection of its subject. The textures of the clay suggest a rough and tactile quality, bringing a sense of immediacy and vitality to the depiction. The artwork effectively conveys the persona of its subject through the expressive use of form and detail, characteristic of the Realism movement.
