1808-1879, french caricaturist, painter and sculptor. He was deeply interested in people, especially the underprivileged. In his lifetime he was known chiefly as a political and social satirist, but since his death recognition of his qualities as a painter has grown. In 1830, after learning the still fairly new process of lithography, he began to contribute political cartoons to the anti-government weekly Caricature. He was an ardant Republican and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in 1832 for his attacks on Louis-Philippe. Daumier's paintings were probably done for the most part fairly late in his career. He remained practically unknown up to the time of an exhibition held at Durand-Ruel's gallery in 1878, the year of his death.