plate no. 0392
Family on the Barricades, 1848
Honore Daumier, 1854
recreation guide
Honoré Daumier’s 'Family on the Barricades' (1854) is a work of oil on wood that exemplifies his transition from caricature to serious painting, characterized by a 'searching truthfulness' and 'powerful directness' (Source 2). While Daumier is associated with Realism, he did not strictly adhere to its ideology; rather, his realism was a 'second nature' derived from his life and critical viewpoint on class distinctions (Source 2). The work likely reflects his habit of exploring subjects repetitively to exhaust their thematic potential, a method he applied to various social scenes including working people and political events (Source 2). As a painter of the mid-19th century, Daumier utilized oil painting techniques that allowed for 'greater flexibility, richer and denser color, and the use of layers' (Source 1). The choice of a wood panel aligns with historical practices where oil painting was commonly executed on wood panels, particularly before canvas became the exclusive standard for all formats, though Daumier’s specific choice here may also relate to the durability and texture preferred for his vigorous brushwork.
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Wood panel | Support surface, consistent with the artwork's medium 'oil, wood' | Plywood or MDF panel primed for oil, or traditional poplar/linden panel |
| Linseed oil | Primary drying oil binder for pigments, providing flexibility and rich color | Refined linseed oil |
| Turpentine | Thinner for paint and cleaner for brushes | Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine |
| Oil paints (earth tones, ochres, umbers, whites, blacks) | Pigments for the realistic depiction of figures and barricades | Standard tube oil paints |
| Charcoal or charcoal pencil | For laying out the design on the prepared panel | Vine charcoal or compressed charcoal |
| Gesso or size | To seal the wood and create a painting ground | Acrylic gesso or rabbit-skin glue with chalk gesso |
preparation
surface prep
The wood panel should be planed and sanded smooth. Historically, wood panels were coated with a mixture of animal-skin glues and resin, covered with linen, and then layered with gesso to create a smooth, hard surface (Source 8). For a recreation, apply a modern acrylic gesso or traditional chalk gesso over a size layer to seal the wood and provide a tooth for the oil paint. Daumier’s vigorous style suggests a surface that can withstand heavy impasto without cracking.
underdrawing
The design was likely laid out in charcoal, as was the usual ancient and early modern technique for panel painting (Source 8). Daumier, coming from a background in lithography and caricature, likely employed a confident, direct drawing method. The sources do not specify if he used a grid or transfer method, but his 'tireless and prolific' nature suggests a rapid, expressive underdrawing (Source 3).
underpainting
Daumier likely employed a tonal underpainting (imprimatura) to establish the light and shadow values before applying color. This is consistent with the 'use of layers' advantage of oil painting (Source 1). Given his association with the Barbizon school and his desire for 'truthfulness,' he may have used a neutral gray or brown wash to block in the composition, allowing for the 'wider range from light to dark' that oil permits (Source 1).
color palette
Raw Umber
Natural earth pigment
General use in this artist's palette for shadows and underpainting
Yellow Ochre
Natural earth pigment
General use in this artist's palette for skin tones and earthy backgrounds
Lead White or Titanium White
White pigment
Highlights and mixing lighter tones
Black (Ivory or Lamp Black)
Carbon-based pigment
Deep shadows and defining forms
Red Ochre/Venetian Red
Iron oxide pigment
General use in this artist's palette for warm tones and clothing
composition
Daumier’s compositions often featured 'working people on the streets of Paris' and 'working class at leisure' (Source 2). While specific details of 'Family on the Barricades' are not described in the sources, his general practice involved treating subjects with a 'point of view critical of class distinctions' (Source 2). The composition likely emphasizes the human figure over landscape, consistent with his domain being 'the human figure and not landscapes' (Source 2). The arrangement probably reflects his 'Romantic' temperament combined with 'Realist' approach, avoiding idealized poses in favor of candid, perhaps 'uncouth' or direct representations (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition on the prepared wood panel using charcoal. Focus on the placement of figures and the structure of the barricades.
Tip — Keep lines loose and expressive, reflecting Daumier’s caricature background.
Charcoal layout
underpainting
step 02
Apply a thin wash of thinned oil paint (e.g., raw umber) to establish the overall tonal values. This utilizes the oil’s capacity for layers and a wide range from light to dark.
Tip — Allow this layer to dry sufficiently before proceeding.
Imprimatura
first pass
step 03
Block in the main colors and forms using thicker paint. Daumier’s style is characterized by 'powerful directness' and 'searching truthfulness,' so avoid over-blending at this stage.
Tip — Focus on the mass of the figures rather than fine details.
Blocking in
refining
step 04
Add layers of paint to refine the forms and expressions. Daumier often painted the same subject repetitively to exhaust the theme, suggesting a process of iterative refinement rather than a single perfect execution.
Tip — Use the flexibility of oil paint to adjust values and colors.
Layering
finishing
step 05
Add final highlights and dark accents. Daumier’s work was noted for its 'uncouthness' which was accepted in his prints but perhaps more refined in his paintings, yet still retaining a raw energy.
Tip — Ensure the 'richer and denser color' characteristic of oil painting is achieved.
Glazing and scumbling
varnishing
step 06
Once the painting is fully dry, apply a varnish made from oil boiled with resin (such as pine resin or frankincense) to provide protection and texture.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Layering
Oil painting allows for the use of layers, which Daumier likely exploited to build up the 'richer and denser color' and 'wider range from light to dark' (Source 1).
Direct Brushwork
Daumier’s 'powerful directness' and 'searching truthfulness' suggest a vigorous, unpolished application of paint, avoiding the 'meretricious attempt to deceive the eye' in favor of expressive symbols (Source 2, Source 7).
Panel Preparation
Using a wood panel prepared with gesso provides a hard, smooth surface suitable for the detailed yet robust handling of oil paint (Source 8).
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending the paint, which would lose the 'directness' and 'truthfulness' characteristic of Daumier’s style (Source 2).
- →Ignoring the layering potential of oil, resulting in flat, less 'dense' color (Source 1).
- →Attempting to create a photorealistic illusion rather than an expressive representation, which contradicts the principle that art is an 'expression of feeling' and not a substitute for nature (Source 7).
- →Failing to allow layers to dry properly, leading to cracking or muddiness, especially on a wood panel (Source 8).
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 color palette used in 'Family on the Barricades' is not described in the sources.
- ·Exact dimensions of the wood panel are not provided.
- ·Specific brush types or sizes used by Daumier are not detailed.
- ·The specific arrangement of figures in 'Family on the Barricades' is not described, so the composition notes are generalized from his other works.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of material use and avoiding mere illusion
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to Materials, layering, varnishing, and advantages of oil medium
Wikipedia bio — Honore Daumier↗
- Honore Daumier — part 6 — applied to Style, realism, directness, and repetitive exploration of subjects
- Honore Daumier — part 1 — applied to Background, prolific nature, and social commentary
Wikipedia: Panel painting↗
- Panel painting — part 4 — applied to Wood panel preparation and underdrawing techniques
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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