Allons haut! Y sommes-nous?, from "La Chasse"
Original title: Allons haut! Y sommes-nous?, from "La Chasse"
kurzbeschreibung
A figure in white sits exhausted while another in dark clothing tries to rouse them in this lithograph by Honoré Daumier. Titled 'Allons haut! Y sommes-nous?' and dated November 11, 1843, the print belongs to the series 'La Chasse' and is known in the third of four states (Delteil).
Description
The seated figure in light clothing holds a chicken in one arm and visibly droops with fatigue; opposite, a dark-clad person leans in toward them. A bed and a candle on a nightstand appear on the right side of the image, casting their light over the scene. The lithograph works in grays, with light and shadow modeling the bodies. Realistic touches combine with caricatural exaggeration, especially in the faces.
Context
Daumier published this print within the series 'La Chasse' in the satirical magazine 'Le Charivari'. The series took aim at the bourgeoisie's passion for hunting and its ridiculous sides. The lithograph was made during the July Monarchy, a time of political and social tension in France. For his social criticism, Daumier chose lithography as his medium.
Impact
Comedy and pity mix because the exhaustion of the seated figure is pushed into caricature. The nighttime, intimate atmosphere created by candlelight and restrained grays feels both familiar and ironic. The viewer sees an absurd hunting scene that exposes the bourgeoisie.
Technique
The print was made by lithography, a planographic process: drawing with greasy chalk on a limestone, then printing. This impression comes from the third of four states, suggesting the artist reworked the printing plate. The nuanced grays and shading attest to Daumier's skill in this medium.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)