J'ai acheté ce terrain à un franc..., from Les Spéculateurs, published in Le Charivari, July 7, 1857
Original title: J'ai acheté ce terrain à un franc..., from Les Spéculateurs, published in Le Charivari, July 7, 1857
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1857, and it appeared on 7 July that year in the satirical journal Le Charivari. Two men are seen in a rural setting: one, in a suit and top hat, speaks with expansive gestures, while the other, more simply dressed, sits on the ground. The print belongs to the series 'Les Spéculateurs' and is executed in black and white with clear lines and shading.
Description
Two figures appear in a wooded spot. The man in the suit and top hat stands upright, his hand raised in speech; his posture seems determined. His seated counterpart, in plain, perhaps impoverished clothing, listens, his face expressing worry or disappointment. Trees and an open field form the background and set the action outdoors. The drawing remains black and white; crisp contours and hatching bring out the figures and their surroundings.
Context
On 7 July 1857, Le Charivari published the lithograph as part of the series 'Les Spéculateurs'. Daumier thus took aim at the speculative dealings of his era, above all the trade in land and real estate. The caption 'J'ai acheté ce terrain à un franc...' alludes to the often dubious methods of speculators who bought land cheaply and sold it dear. For Daumier, the lithograph served as a means of social criticism and caricature.
Impact
The print is immediately arresting through the contrast between the self-assured, gesticulating man and the seated, anxious listener. The restriction to black and white draws attention to facial expression and body language, making social inequality and the listener's scepticism palpable. The image conveys a critical stance toward the promises of speculators.
Technique
The work is executed as a lithograph on newsprint, printed in the second state of two (Delteil). Fine lines and shading model the figures and the forest background. The format is landscape; the image area measures approximately 20.8 × 26 cm, the sheet 25.1 × 31.6 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)