The artwork titled “Jean-Marie Fruchard (1788-1872), Deputy” is a sculpture created by the artist Honore Daumier in 1833. This piece, fashioned from clay, exemplifies the Realism art movement and currently resides in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France. The genre of the work is sculpture, revealing the vivid detail and form that Daumier was capable of imparting to this medium.
The depicted artwork shows a robust figure, with an exaggerated facial expression and a posture suggestive of significance or self-importance. The sculptor has paid remarkable attention to the textures and colors, employing shades and tones that contribute to the lifelike yet caricatured portrayal of the subject. Daumier’s work seems to embody a certain critique or satire of societal figures, as evidenced by the figure’s bloated features and stern demeanor. The sculpture is not defined by smooth contours but rather portrays the individual with rough and expressive lines, indicating the artist’s intention to capture more than just the physical likeness but also the character and perhaps the social position of the depicted deputy. The artwork, through its form and expression, offers an enduring commentary on the social and political climate of the time, embodying the principles of the Realism movement by presenting a candid, albeit stylized, representation of human nature and social roles.
