Les représentans représentés, Plate 12: Achille Fould
Original title: Achille Fould
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's 1849 lithograph caricatures the French finance minister Achille Fould. Part of the series 'Les représentans représentés', it shows Fould with arms crossed while a debate unfolds behind him.
Description
Achille Fould dominates the foreground, his features exaggerated and his arms folded. Behind him, a small figure on a podium points toward him, surrounded by several people looking in different directions. The print is in black and white, with bold hatching and strong contrasts. An explanatory text below the image comments ironically on the caricature.
Context
The caricature appeared in 1849, during the Second French Republic, when Achille Fould held the post of finance minister. Daumier's series 'Les représentans représentés' was published in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari'. Fould was seen as a proponent of conservative financial policy, which the artist targets here.
Impact
An ironic distance from the subject emerges, reinforced by the sarcastic accompanying text. Fould's exaggerated proportions and unmoved stance underscore the criticism of his reticence on social issues.
Technique
Drawn with greasy chalk on limestone, a planographic process for lithographs. The print is in its second state and measures 35.6 x 25.3 cm, a format common for caricatures of that era.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)