Les plaisirs de l'école de natation, from Croquis Été, published in Le Charivari, June 22, 1858
Original title: Les plaisirs de l'école de natation, from Croquis Été, published in Le Charivari, June 22, 1858
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'Les plaisirs de l'école de natation' from 1858 presents a comic incident at a swimming school. The print belongs to the series 'Croquis Été', published in 'Le Charivari'. It shows a man clinging awkwardly to a net while others swim in the background.
Description
In the foreground, a barefoot man in a sleeveless top grips a net; his legs are drawn up and his expression is one of alarm. Behind him, several people splash about in the water, some wearing swimming caps. A net and a wooden partition mark off the bathing area. The monochrome black-and-white of the print and the detailed drawing of figures and objects define the image.
Context
This lithograph was made for the series 'Croquis Été' in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari'. The series took up everyday summer scenes and gave them a humorous tone. The print was published on June 22, 1858; it is the second state of two (Delteil).
Impact
The comic effect comes above all from the man's exaggerated posture together with his startled look. The black-and-white scheme draws attention to the tension between foreground and background and underlines the figure's clumsiness.
Technique
Drawn with ink or chalk on the stone and then printed — a lithographic process. The second state probably shows differences from the first, as is characteristic of Daumier's working method. This technique allows fine lines and shading, which stand out clearly in the figures and the net.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)