← Honoré Daumier

L'arrivée à la bourse, un jour de hausse, from Croquis Parisiens, published in Le Charivari, September 18, 1858

Original title: L'arrivée à la bourse, un jour de hausse, from Croquis Parisiens, published in Le Charivari, September 18, 1858

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

September 18, 1858

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Sheet: 10 9/16 × 14 9/16 in. (26.9 × 37 cm) Image: 8 11/16 × 10 9/16 in. (22 × 26.8 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'Die Ankunft an der Börse, ein Tag der Hausse' (Arrival at the Stock Exchange, a Bull Market Day), part of the 'Croquis Parisiens' series, appeared in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari' on 18 September 1858. Three gentlemen in suits and hats approach the Bourse; the one in the middle reads a sheet of paper. The print is on newsprint, second state of two (Delteil).

Description

Three men in suits and hats stride along a street; the middle figure holds a paper and reads it while his companions look straight ahead. Behind them other people can be made out heading the same way. Black-and-white lines and hatching build a dense mesh of figures and surroundings. The style is realistic with caricatural touches, and light comes from the weight of the lines and the contrast between figures and ground.

Context

Daumier published the lithograph in 'Le Charivari', a journal known for its political and social caricatures. The 'Croquis Parisiens' series was devoted to scenes of everyday Parisian life. The Bourse and its speculators reflected the economy of the Second Empire under Napoleon III, shaped by speculation and financial dealing. Daumier often criticized the bourgeoisie and the financial world of his day.

Impact

The viewer feels the hurry and the fixation of the exchange-goers on rising prices; the ironic, faintly caricatural view is reinforced by realistic features with subtle exaggeration. That produces an amusing and at the same time thoughtful effect. The detailed linework and high-contrast shadows give the image a lively, almost documentary quality.

Technique

The lithograph was printed on newsprint, as was usual for magazine publication. Daumier used lithography to produce fine lines and shading that give the figures and their setting volume. This is the second of two states, made after the plate was reworked.

AI-generated description text

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