Poor France! The trunk is blasted, but the roots hold!
Original title: Poor France! The trunk is blasted, but the roots hold!, published in "L'Album du Siège"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's 1871 lithograph shows a tree on a beach, its trunk shattered by lightning while the roots remain intact. The print comes from the portfolio 'L'Album du Siège' and includes the line 'Pauvre France!... Le tronc est foudroyé, mais les racines tiennent bon!'
Description
A splintered trunk rises on the shore, split by lightning. Wide-spreading roots grip the ground. Behind the tree, waves and an overcast sky appear. The layout emphasizes the stability of the root system against the destruction of the crown.
Context
This print was made in 1871, the year of France's defeat by Germany and the Paris Commune. 'L'Album du Siège' gathered lithographs produced during the siege of Paris. The tree symbolizes France's situation: the state is battered, but the people—the roots—hold firm.
Impact
Grief and confidence emanate from this image at once: the shattered trunk looks dramatic, yet the strong roots suggest resilience and renewal. The clear symbolic language carries the political message directly to the viewer.
Technique
Lithograph on wove paper, third of three states (Delteil). The lithographic process allowed fine tonal gradations, which come into play in the sky, waves, and tree structure. The printing plate measures 23.4 × 19.4 cm, the sheet 31.3 × 23.4 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)