Les Saltimbanques
Original title: Here you see the great celebrities of literary, musical, and artistic France; they are thirty-six feet tall measured below sea level (Vous voyez ici les grandez célébrités), from Les Saltimbanques, published in La Caricature, April 28, 1839
kurzbeschreibung
Famous figures from French literature, music, and art appear here in a circus or theater setting. Honoré Daumier drew this scene for the lithograph 'Les Saltimbanques', published on April 28, 1839. The print belongs to a series in the journal 'La Caricature', which followed the doings of the art world of the day with a sharp pen.
Description
A crowd of figures recognizable as well-known French artists and writers spreads across the sheet; behind them hang curtains, and musical notes appear here and there. Some wear circus or stage costumes, others appear in ordinary clothes. The arrangement feels lively: gestures, expressions, dancing and singing poses, some holding instruments. Black and white and rich in detail, the lithograph shows captions on the costumes and in the background that are integrated into the image's structure.
Context
The print was published on April 28, 1839, in 'La Caricature', a satirical journal known for its political and social criticism. With the 'Les Saltimbanques' series, Daumier took aim at the art and literary scene of his time, especially the self-staging and the spotlight that surrounded artists. The work survives in the second of four states; it shows how intensively Daumier engaged with lithography, which was widely used under the July Monarchy.
Impact
The satirical exaggeration and the theatrical arrangement of the figures both amuse and criticize. Because costume and everyday clothing meet, a tension arises between artistic ambition and sober reality — an invitation to think about the role of art and artists.
Technique
Printing was done using the then-common technique of lithography, which allows fine lines and gradations of shading. The sheet measures 31.8 × 25 cm, the image area 26 × 22.2 cm; the present work is the second of four states. This technique made quick and inexpensive reproduction possible, which made it almost predestined for publication in a journal.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)