Baigneurs commençant à trouver qu'en septembre..., from Croquis d'Été, published in Le Charivari, September 3, 1858
Original title: Baigneurs commençant à trouver qu'en septembre..., from Croquis d'Été, published in Le Charivari, September 3, 1858
kurzbeschreibung
Bathers stand in the water of a bathing house and complain about the chilly September water. That, in short, is the subject of this 1858 lithograph by Honoré Daumier, published in the satirical newspaper Le Charivari as part of the series 'Croquis d'Été'. It was printed as a lithograph in the second of two states.
Description
Some figures stand upright, others kneel, still others lie half-submerged in the basin, spread across the steps and the water. Exaggerated expressions and odd postures dominate the picture. The arrangement feels restless, bodies pointing every which way. Clean lines and graded shading hold the monochrome image together, as was usual for lithographs of this kind.
Context
The print appeared on September 3, 1858, in the French satirical magazine Le Charivari. It belongs to the 'Croquis d'Été', a series of summer sketches in which Daumier observed Parisian leisure with a keen eye for comedy. Bathing and summer holidays were popular subjects for caricature at the time.
Impact
The overdone bathers draw a laugh while carrying a faintly critical edge. The lively, almost chaotic scatter of figures creates an atmosphere that invites a smile.
Technique
Daumier chose lithography for its fine lines and soft shadows. The printing plate allowed graduated tones, which give the figures a sense of physical presence. According to Delteil, this is the second state of the print.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)