De Podenas
Original title: De Podenas, published in "La Caricature"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'De Podenas' appeared on May 2, 1833, in the satirical journal 'La Caricature' and offers a caricatured portrayal of a person. The figure wears a long coat and holds a sheet of paper in his hand; his facial features and proportions are deliberately exaggerated.
Description
A man in a long coat stands in the print, holding a paper in his right hand. His head is oversized, with a high forehead and a broad, smiling mouth. The body looks stocky, the clothing formal. The drawing stays monochrome in shades of grey, the light even and without shadows, which gives the sheet a flat effect.
Context
The lithograph was published on May 2, 1833, in 'La Caricature', a journal known for political and social caricatures. Daumier, one of the leading caricaturists of the nineteenth century, used the medium to comment on public figures and types of his time. The nickname 'M. POT DE NAZ' alludes satirically to a connection that was understandable at the time.
Impact
The exaggerated proportions and the striking facial expression give the figure something grotesque and at the same time memorably characteristic. Through the clear layout and the reduced colour, the caricature works directly and draws the eye to the facial features of the person portrayed.
Technique
Lithography – a printing process based on the repulsion of grease and water on a limestone. The drawing was probably put on the stone with chalk or ink and then printed. The grey tones result from the varying density of the drawing layer.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)