Ah!... les comètes..., ça annonce toujours quelques grands malheurs!..., from Actualités, published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: Ah!... les comètes..., ça annonce toujours quelques grands malheurs!..., from Actualités, published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Two women stand talking, their eyes turned anxiously up toward a comet — a motif Honoré Daumier took up in lithography in 1858. The print appeared in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari' as part of his series 'Actualités'.
Description
Our gaze follows the two women's upward look before we notice the comet itself. Their worried expressions stand out sharply against the light background, clearly set off from the street behind them, where several passers-by go about their business, some in top hats, others in plain hats. The comet sweeps across the sky from left to right. The print stays black and white throughout, evenly lit, without strong contrasts.
Context
The lithograph was published on 30 October 1858 in 'Le Charivari' and made in the same month. It belongs to Daumier's 'Actualités', a series in which he followed the events of the day with a satirical eye. That year's comet, known as Donati's Comet, gripped the public imagination and fed fears of coming disaster. From that mood Daumier drew an amused yet critical look at the superstitions of his time.
Impact
The exaggerated caricature faces and the women's overwrought alarm invite a smile, though a thoughtful note lingers underneath. The calm layout and even light sharpen the ironic tone that marks Daumier's view of society.
Technique
The image was printed as a lithograph, a process common in satirical journals of the period. This is the second state of two (Delteil). Daumier drew onto the stone with greasy chalk; printing then brought out the fine lines and shading.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)