On Jan. 17, 1895 the newspaper Le Radical published an obituary for Mme Daumier who had died two days earlier.

It is very moving to read how unscrupulous art dealers have bought the remaining artworks of the Master at bargain prices from his poor widow.

TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT:

Mme Daumier, widow of the great artist, died the day before yesterday in Valmondois (Oise) in the modest house that was given to the famous caricaturist by the painter Corot.

Mme Daumier was 73 years old. The funeral took place yesterday on the Père Lachaise cemetary. While Daumier’s glory is still present in the awareness of the public, his family and his home have disappeared in the shadow soon after his death. The last mention of Mme Daumier was at the occasion of the sale of the artist’s atelier.

The poor woman was victim of a group of “unknown” dealers taking possession of the atelier and carrying away whatever was left of paintings, drawings and sketches totalling an approximate sum of 1’400 francs.

Mme Daumier protested – but too late – against the abuse of confidence. The money she received without a receipt was not even one percent of the real value of the works she parted with.

There are only few widows left of great artists from this century. The best known among them are Mme J.-F. Millet and Mme T. Ribot.