C'est tout d'même flatteur d'avoir son portrait à l'exposition, from Le Salon de 1857
Original title: C'est tout d'même flatteur d'avoir son portrait à l'exposition, from Le Salon de 1857, published in Le Charivari, August 31, 1857
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many Salon caricatures that target individual ridiculous poses, this print by Honoré Daumier centers on the conversation about a portrait on display. The lithograph appeared in 1857 in the series 'Le Salon de 1857' in the satirical paper Le Charivari and shows three figures in a salon. It was printed on newsprint; a surviving impression is of the second state.
Description
In the foreground sits a person in a top hat and suit, pipe in hand, beside another seated figure in a dress with a bow in her hair. A third person appears from behind in a dark coat. A shelf with vases and other objects suggests the room is a living room or salon. The grays remain evenly exposed, without harsh shadows. Caricatural features and poses give the scene a humorous undertone.
Context
On August 31, 1857, Daumier published the print in the satirical newspaper Le Charivari. It belongs to a series that lampoons the Paris Salon of 1857—the annual art exhibition that was a social event for the public. In this series, Daumier criticized the vanity and bourgeois posturing of visitors. That a second state is documented points to a revision of the plate.
Impact
The exaggerated figures and everyday setting make the print immediately comic. A critical eye and humorous drawing combine into social satire that remains easily accessible. Because the palette is reduced, the gestures and facial expressions of the people come to the fore.
Technique
Lithography on newsprint—this process underscores the satirical character of the work. The present impression derives from the second state of the plate, as documented by Delteil. The technique allows fine lines and hatching, used here entirely for caricatural effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)