← Honoré Daumier

Savants au comble de la joie en contemplant le premier petit crocodile né en France..., from La Société d'Acclimatations, published in Le Charivari, October 23, 1858

Original title: Savants au comble de la joie en contemplant le premier petit crocodile né e France..., from La Société d'Acclimatations, published in Le Charivari, October 23, 1858

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

October 23, 1858

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Sheet: 10 1/4 × 14 13/16 in. (26 × 37.6 cm) Image: 7 1/4 × 9 13/16 in. (18.4 × 24.9 cm)

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1922

kurzbeschreibung

Four scholars have gathered around a table and are examining a tiny crocodile lying on a plate. Honoré Daumier drew this scene as a lithograph, dated 23 October 1858. The print comes from the satirical series 'La Société d'Acclimatations' and appeared in the newspaper 'Le Charivari'.

Description

Four men in dark robes lean over a table, their gaze fixed on a small crocodile on a plate. Their postures and expressions reveal curiosity and enthusiasm. Behind the group stands a woman in rural dress, looking over at them. The room suggests a workshop or laboratory, with various instruments and vessels visible. A black-and-white lithograph with strong hatching and deep shadows.

Context

The lithograph was published on 23 October 1858 in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari'. It belongs to a series addressing the 'Société d'Acclimatations', an association founded in 1854 to introduce exotic animals and plants into France. Daumier lampoons the scientists' excessive enthusiasm for acclimatization, which was often considered ridiculous at the time.

Impact

The scholars' concentrated faces and the tiny crocodile on the plate create a comic, ironic contrast. The dark, hatched printing technique underscores the seriousness of the scene and makes its absurdity all the more palpable. One has to smile because the scientists clearly exaggerate in their enthusiasm.

Technique

Lithograph on newsprint, second state of two (Delteil). The lithographic process allows fine lines and hatching, with which the figures and the background are worked out in detail. The black-and-white version corresponds to Daumier's prints of those years.

AI-generated description text

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