← Honoré Daumier

Voyez, cette pièce est très grande..., from Les Comédiens de Société, published in Le Charivari, April 27, 1858

Original title: Voyez, cette pièce est très grande..., from Les Comédiens de Société, published in Le Charivari, April 27, 1858

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

April 27, 1858

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state (Delteil)

Dimensions

Sheet: 9 7/8 × 12 3/8 in. (25.1 × 31.4 cm) Image: 8 3/16 × 10 3/16 in. (20.8 × 25.8 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

Two men stand in a room that feels like a stage, with curtains and an empty podium. The one on the right, wrapped in a long coat, gestures expansively toward the vastness of the space and addresses the other. The second man, in a dark suit, has his back to the viewer. Honoré Daumier made this print on April 27, 1858, as part of his series 'Les Comédiens de Société'; it is a lithograph on newsprint in the second state (Delteil).

Description

A stage-like space with curtains and an empty podium sets the scene for two figures. On the right, a man in a long coat stands with arms wide open, as if stressing the size of the room. To his left, with his back to the audience, a man in a dark suit remains still. A chair and a curtained window can be made out in the rear area. Subtle grays and detailed shading give structure to figures and space, bringing out the lithographic drawing.

Context

The series 'Les Comédiens de Société' appeared in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari', for which Daumier worked regularly. It took aim at the social role of actors and the absurdities of theater life in the Second Empire. The artist used lithography to capture social types and situations with critical humor. This print was published on April 27, 1858, and is among Daumier's later works.

Impact

The clear arrangement and the pointed gesture of the man on the right make an immediate impression. The humorous exaggeration of the situation creates a satirical tension that invites a smile. Through the grays and fine shading, the print acquires a calm yet lively atmosphere.

Technique

For his satirical prints, Daumier often chose lithography on newsprint. This method allows fine lines and nuanced shading, which are visible in the gray-scale rendering. The second state (Delteil) refers to a later printing variant that was reworked after the first edition.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)