plate no. 7238
Catch the juggler
Honore Daumier, 1866
recreation guide
Honore Daumier’s 'Catch the juggler' (1866) is a genre painting that exemplifies his unique position as a realist who retained a romantic temperament. Daumier is characterized by his critical viewpoint on class distinctions and his focus on ordinary people engaged in common activities, such as theater and carnival subjects (Source 3, Source 4). Unlike strict realists like Courbet, Daumier did not explicitly advocate for realist ideology; rather, realism was a 'second nature' resulting from his life and observation (Source 3). His work is noted for its 'searching truthfulness' and 'powerful directness,' often depicting figures with a radical honesty that contemporaries sometimes found 'uncouth' or 'ridiculous,' similar to the reception of Rembrandt’s work (Source 3). The painting likely captures a moment of everyday leisure or performance, consistent with his repeated exploration of actors, musicians, and audiences (Source 3).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
10 items
steps
7 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (pre-mixed tubes) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium for mixing pigments | — |
| Turpentine | Thinner for initial layers and cleaning | — |
| Raw umber | For setting the palette and initial underpainting | — |
| White pigment (softer white) | For mixing tints and highlights | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | — |
| Charcoal | For initial drawing and shading | — |
| Bread | For correcting charcoal errors without resistance | — |
| Hog bristle brushes | For bolder strokes and impasto textures | — |
| Sable brushes (Kolinsky or Red Sable) | For fine detail work, particularly eyes and hair | — |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific ground recipes for Daumier are not detailed in the sources, standard 19th-century practice involved sizing and priming the canvas to accept oil paint. The artist should ensure the surface is smooth enough for detailed work but textured enough to hold the 'bolder strokes' characteristic of his style (Source 6).
underdrawing
Begin with a charcoal drawing. Daumier’s approach to realism suggests a careful initial study. Use charcoal to draw and shade the figure, making the study slightly smaller than life if working from a model (Source 1). Hold the brush or charcoal against the model’s face to ascertain proportions (Source 1). Make all corrections in the charcoal stage using bread to erase, as charcoal offers little resistance to a brush and none to bread (Source 1). Do not proceed to paint if there are obvious errors in construction or drawing, as correcting in paint is 'fatal to lucidity' (Source 1).
underpainting
Set the palette with raw umber and a softer white, using turpentine to thin the paint (Source 1). Apply an initial layer of paint with the intention of going over it at least three or four times (Source 1). This underpainting should establish the basic tones and forms. Use a dry brush to model with, as suggested for painting from life (Source 1).
color palette
Raw Umber
Pure pigment
Setting the palette and initial underpainting
White
Softer white pigment
Mixing tints and highlights
Flesh tones
Mixed from palette colors
Human figure, fixed by the model
Draperies/Background
Chosen by artist
Clothing and setting, allowing for artistic choice
Complementary colors
Opposite colors on the color wheel
Darkening colors without shifting hue, neutralizing mixtures
composition
Daumier’s compositions often feature ordinary people in common activities, distinguishing them from history paintings or portraits (Source 4). The figures are likely to be depicted with a 'searching truthfulness' and 'powerful directness' (Source 3). The composition may include elements of stage lighting if the subject is theatrical, as Daumier frequently explored theater and carnival subjects (Source 3). The arrangement should avoid 'smallness' and instead focus on 'great effects' from which 'many small ones resulted' (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Draw the figure in charcoal, slightly smaller than life if using a model.
Tip — Hold the brush against the model’s face to check proportions.
Charcoal drawing
step 02
Shade the charcoal drawing and make corrections using bread to erase.
Tip — Do not proceed if there are obvious errors in construction.
Charcoal correction
underpainting
step 03
Set the palette with raw umber and white, using turpentine.
Tip — Plan to go over the painting at least three or four times.
Palette setup
first pass
step 04
Apply the first layer of paint, using a dry brush to model forms.
Tip — Focus on broad masses and general tones.
Dry brush modeling
refining
step 05
Refine the painting, paying attention to color contrast and harmony.
Tip — Use complementary colors to darken without shifting hue.
Color contrast
finishing
step 06
Add details, particularly to the eyes and hair, using fine sable brushes.
Tip — Use Kolinsky sable brushes for their 'snap' and fine point.
Detail work
step 07
Review the painting for overall harmony and truthfulness.
Tip — Ensure the depiction is realistic and direct, consistent with Daumier’s style.
Final review
critical techniques
Charcoal underdrawing
Used for initial sketching and correction, allowing for easy changes before paint is applied.
Dry brush modeling
Used to model forms in the initial paint layers, providing texture and depth.
Color contrast
Used to create harmony and depth, with attention to the laws of simultaneous contrast.
Complementary mixing
Used to darken colors without shifting hue, maintaining color integrity.
Fine detail work
Used for eyes and hair, requiring high-quality sable brushes for precision.
common pitfalls
- →Putting down paint with obvious errors in construction or drawing, which is 'reckless' and 'fatal to lucidity' (Source 1).
- →Darkening colors by adding black, which can cause hue shifts toward greenish or bluish tones (Source 8).
- →Lightening colors by adding white, which can cause hue shifts toward blue, especially with reds and oranges (Source 8).
- →Focusing too much on small details at the expense of great effects, which can lead to a lack of overall harmony (Source 2).
- →Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can result in a timid or stiff appearance (Source 7).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of 'Catch the juggler' such as the exact pose, clothing patterns, or background elements are not described in the sources.
- ·Daumier’s specific palette choices for this particular painting are not detailed; general 19th-century practices are inferred.
- ·The exact lighting conditions and time of day depicted in the painting are not specified.
- ·The specific emotional expression or gesture of the juggler is not described in the sources.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- PAINTING FROM LIFE — applied to Underdrawing, underpainting, and correction techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to General advice on copying and technique refinement
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints — applied to Color contrast and harmony principles
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Honore Daumier↗
- part 6 — applied to Artist’s style, realism, and subject matter
Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- Genre painting — part 1 — applied to Definition and characteristics of genre painting
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 6 — applied to Materials and brush techniques
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Color mixing principles
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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