Oui madame..., ces animaux-là viennent tous du jardin des plantes..., from La Société d'Acclimatation, published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: Oui madame..., ces animaux-là viennent tous du jardin des plantes..., from La Société d'Acclimatation, published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike Daumier's other animal caricatures, this 1858 print puts human entertainment in front of an enclosure at center stage: a woman and a man stand before a fence with animals behind it. The lithograph belongs to the series 'La Société d'Acclimatation' and appeared in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari'.
Description
Two figures dominate the layout: on the left a woman in a long, elegant dress with a bow in her hair, on the right a man in shirt and trousers carrying a bag. They stand at a fence, behind which sheep and a deer can be made out. Trees and a cloudy sky close the scene at the top. Black-and-white tones prevail, as is typical of lithography.
Context
In September 1858 Daumier was working regularly for 'Le Charivari'. The series 'La Société d'Acclimatation' refers to the Société d'Acclimatation founded in Paris in 1854, dedicated to introducing exotic animal and plant species. The artist caricatured the contemporary enthusiasm for acclimatizing animals, which wavered between scientific ambition and absurdity.
Impact
The contrasting postures of the two figures—the elegantly dressed woman and the plainly dressed man—create a mildly ironic tone. The animals behind the fence almost recede while the conversation between the two takes precedence. The result is a humorous yet critical look at bourgeois fascination with exotic animals.
Technique
Executed as a lithograph on newsprint, the sheet is in the second state of two (Delteil). The lithographic process allowed for fine lines and shading, used here to render the figures and the background. The sheet measures 26 × 37.5 cm, the image area 20.8 × 27 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)