Harlé Père
Original title: Harlé Père, published in "La Caricature"
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many political caricatures of the period, which rely on drastic exaggeration, Daumier's 1833 lithograph presents the French politician Harlé Père in a comparatively restrained satirical pose. The print appeared in the journal 'La Caricature' and is executed in grayscale. The subject is a caricature that shows the sitter in historicizing attire.
Description
What distinguishes this image from other prints in the series is the casual everydayness of the figure: a man stands in profile holding a shirt. He wears glasses, a short light-colored wig, a long dark coat, trousers with a belt, and dark shoes. The layout has no accessories and directs the gaze entirely to the figure. At the bottom edge, the name 'M. ARLEPAIRE' appears in capital letters.
Context
Unlike some other commissioned works, this caricature was made for the satirical journal 'La Caricature', which in the 1830s took a stand in Paris against the July Monarchy. Harlé Père was among the well-known politicians of the opposition. The print is part of the political satire that flourished at the time.
Impact
Compared with more aggressive mockery of the era, the tone here remains rather derisive and detached. The calm pose and the detailed rendering of the clothing create an odd mix of seriousness and comedy. Because the setting is reduced, the figure stands out all the more; glasses and wig act as ironic signals. The caricature ridicules the sitter without becoming hurtful.
Technique
Departing from the woodcuts also common at the time, this print is based on lithography: the image is drawn on a stone and then transferred to paper. The gray tones result from the varying ratio of grease and water on the printing plate. The sheet measures 33.2 × 24.6 cm, the image area 26.5 × 17.9 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)