Eh! bien, tu ne te rhabilles donc pas?..., from Croquis d'Été, published in Le Charivari, June 26, 1858
Original title: Eh! bien, tu ne te rhabilles donc pas?..., from Croquis d'Été, published in Le Charivari, June 26, 1858
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's 1858 lithograph belongs to his Croquis d'Été (Summer Sketches), a series published in the satirical journal Le Charivari. It presents two figures in a wooded setting: a seated woman in a dress and a man in short trousers, apparently deep in conversation. This black-and-white print is part of a sequence that wittily observes everyday summer scenes.
Description
On the left, a woman in a long dress sits on a rock in the foreground, while on the right a man wearing only short trousers crouches on the ground. The two turn toward each other, absorbed in a exchange that is underscored by the lines of text inserted below the image. Trees and a lightly clouded sky form the backdrop; the lithograph remains entirely in black and white. The drawing is detailed and precise, capturing both the folds of the fabrics and the texture of the surroundings.
Context
Daumier made this lithograph for the Croquis d'Été series, which appeared in the Parisian satirical journal Le Charivari in June 1858. The series took an ironic look at the leisure habits of Parisian society during the summer months. The caption 'Eh! bien, tu ne te rhabilles donc pas?...' (Well, aren't you getting dressed again?...) alludes to a comic situation of the kind often used in the press of the day to mock social conventions. The print is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is in the public domain.
Impact
The differing degrees of dress of the two figures create a humorous contrast that prompts a smile. The calm forest landscape stands in tension with the odd situation, heightening the ironic effect. The image feels lively and taken from everyday life, without tipping into exaggerated caricature.
Technique
The print is a lithograph, a planographic process in which a fatty crayon is drawn on a limestone block. It is the second state of two (Delteil), indicating later reworking of the printing stone. The sheet measures 26.7 × 36 cm, the image 20.7 × 25.7 cm; the execution reveals Daumier's characteristic fine linework.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)