Mlle. Etienne-Joconde-Cunégonde-Bécassin de Constitutionnel...
Original title: Mlle. Etienne-Joconde-Cunégonde-Bécassin de Constitutionnel...
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier drew a figure full of pomp and exaggeration in 1834: a lithograph that belongs to a satirical series and is now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Description
A round-faced woman with flowers in her hair stands as the focal point, her eyes closed, a fan in her hand. A bracelet, a necklace and an ornately decorated dress with a bow at the neckline are visible. Behind her, a curtain softens the light and frames the figure. The layout directs everything toward this single figure, and the features are exaggerated in caricature.
Context
The print was made in May 1834, during the July Monarchy, at a time when political and social satire flourished. Daumier placed it in a series that pokes fun at the bourgeoisie and its vanities. The overlong, weighty name in the title alone mocks the naming habits of the upper class and reveals the artist's critical distance from the bourgeoisie.
Impact
First comes the woman's closed gaze, then the exaggerated forms, which leave a comic, almost grotesque impression and prompt a smile. At the same time, the restrained gray-tone technique gives the print a calm elegance that makes the mockery underneath bearable.
Technique
The print was made as a lithograph, in which fatty chalk is applied to a stone. Varying line densities and gradations create the gray tones and allow a fine distribution of light and shadow. The dimensions are 33.5 x 25.4 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)