Voyons Mr. le Baron...je n'entends rien...soufflez donc plus fort!..., from Les Comédiens de Société, published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: Voyons Mr. le Baron...je n'entends rien...soufflez donc plus fort!..., from Les Comédiens de Société, published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
A bespectacled man in a dark suit holds a device resembling an early microphone and addresses a man in a checkered shirt. Honoré Daumier's 1858 lithograph comes from the series 'Les Comédiens de Société' and presents bourgeois entertainment as a satirical subject.
Description
In the right foreground stands the gentleman in the dark suit, glasses on his nose, a microphone or something like it in his hand, as he speaks to a man in a checkered shirt. Behind the two, spectators sit at tables with candlesticks, as if in a theater or concert hall. All eyes are on the pair; French dialogue lines run beneath the scene. A black-and-white drawing that emphasizes contours and lines.
Context
The print appeared on April 5 and 6, 1858, in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari' as part of the series 'Les Comédiens de Société'. Daumier took up the parlor games of the bourgeoisie and mocked the then-new microphone technology, which caused uncertainty in private gatherings. The series ridicules the self-staging and absurdities of the rising bourgeoisie under the Second Empire.
Impact
The specific dialogue and the everyday situation give the print wit and liveliness. Daumier's line gives the figures expression and reinforces the satirical undertone. One smiles at the scene, and the social criticism remains visible.
Technique
Lithography: in this planographic printing process, one draws with greasy chalk on a stone. Clear contours and fine hatching produce a precise, draft-like impression. Printed on paper, the sheet measures 26.6 × 35.6 cm (sheet) and 20.9 × 24.9 cm (image area).
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)