“Zounds, Catherine,” an artwork by Honore Daumier, belongs to the Realism art movement and falls under the genre of caricature. This piece is currently housed in the Château de Compiègne in Compiègne, France.
The artwork depicts a scene involving three individuals rendered in Daumier’s characteristic style of exaggerated and distorted forms, which are typical of caricature. The figure on the left displays a posture suggestive of confidence or perhaps indignation, with crossed arms and a steady gaze directed towards the other two figures. The central figure, a woman, appears to be the focal point of the scene, her posture indicating some form of distress or discomfort as she is held by the figure on the right. The background is minimally detailed, focusing more on the interaction and the expressions of the characters rather than the setting. The monochromatic color scheme and sketch-like quality of the piece emphasize the rawness and spontaneity of Daumier’s approach to capturing human emotions and societal interactions.
