Les Etrangers dévisagés par eux mêmes, from "Les Étrangers à Paris"
Original title: Les Etrangers dévisagés par eux mêmes, from "Les Étrangers à Paris"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph Les Etrangers dévisagés par eux-mêmes (1844) presents a group of people in a lively Paris street scene. The print belongs to the series Les Étrangers à Paris and carries inscriptions in pen and brown ink.
Description
A line of figures stretches from left to right across the horizontal format. They wear formal clothing, with hats, long-sleeved garments and some traditional hairstyles. Faces and garments are worked out in detail, in a realistic and precise style. The black-and-white lithograph shows evenly distributed light without strong shadows. At the lower edge, inscriptions in pen and brown ink reproduce the title and a short explanation.
Context
In 1844 Daumier published the lithograph as part of the series Les Étrangers à Paris, which sheds light on the lives of foreigners in the French capital. The series appeared in satirical journals and commented on social stereotypes and prejudices. Daumier was known for his political and socially critical caricatures, which were directed against social injustice.
Impact
Precise linework and detailed faces make the scene immediate and lively. The even lighting and calm arrangement give the print a factual, observant note that prompts the viewer to reflect on the figures depicted.
Technique
A lithograph on wove paper, inscribed with pen and brown ink. The inscriptions are on a separate piece of paper glued below the print. The lithographic process allows fine lines and shading, as is typical of Daumier's characteristic style.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)