← Honoré Daumier

Paris Grippé, from Croquis Parisiens, published in Le Charivari, February 1, 1858

Original title: Paris Grippé, from Croquis Parisiens, published in Le Charivari, February 1, 1858

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

February 1, 1858

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state (Delteil)

Dimensions

Sheet: 10 5/8 × 14 5/8 in. (27 × 37.1 cm) Image: 8 1/8 × 9 7/8 in. (20.6 × 25.1 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

On a sheet dated February 1, 1858, Honoré Daumier captured a scene of a man and a woman talking on the street. The lithograph, titled 'Paris Grippé', belongs to the 'Croquis Parisiens' series and appeared in the newspaper 'Le Charivari'. The humor of the series lies in the everyday encounter, set here in an urban environment.

Description

Two figures face each other: on the left, a gentleman in a top hat and jacket; on the right, a woman in a long coat and head covering. They are engaged in conversation. Trees and buildings form the backdrop, placing the scene in the city. The arrangement is symmetrical, with the two figures as the clear focal point. Below the image is a text box containing the title and their dialogue. Black-and-white chalk lines of varying thickness and shading create depth and texture.

Context

The lithograph was published in the satirical magazine 'Le Charivari', known for its socially critical caricatures. Daumier used the 'Croquis Parisiens' series to comment on everyday life in Paris with an ironic undertone. The second state (Delteil) on newsprint reflects the mass production of prints at the time. Dated February 1, 1858, the sheet falls in a period when Daumier was working regularly for the magazine.

Impact

The humorous dialogue and exaggerated figures make the caricature immediately accessible. The symmetrical layout and clear outlines draw the eye to the exchange between the two. In black and white, the sketchy, reportorial feel of the scene is heightened.

Technique

For the lithograph, a grease crayon was drawn on a stone and then printed on paper. Varying pressure on the stone produced the fine lines and shading. The second state (Delteil) indicates a revised version adapted for publication in the newspaper.

AI-generated description text

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