Mars... Je vous ai fait bien peur..., from "Actualités"
Original title: Mars... Je vous ai fait bien peur..., from "Actualités"
kurzbeschreibung
Monsieur Prud'homme recoils in fright as Mars, the god of war, appears before him in full armour. Honoré Daumier captured this encounter in a lithograph on newsprint in 1859; the sheet belongs to the series 'Aktuelles' and mocks the politics and military enthusiasm of its time.
Description
On the left stands a man in Roman warrior armour, armed with shield and spear, upright and self-assured. On the right, a contemporary in a frock coat and top hat stumbles back in alarm, a parchment scroll in his hand. Behind the two, the faint outlines of a group of people are suggested. The flat ground looks like a simple surface. The lithograph is monochrome and includes a French dialogue beneath the figures.
Context
Daumier drew this caricature in 1859 for the French satirical magazine 'Le Charivari', where the series 'Aktuelles' ran. Monsieur Prud'homme was a recurring figure in Daumier's work, used to parody the complacent French bourgeois. The figure of Mars refers to military or political events of the time, though these are not clearly documented.
Impact
The contrast between the ancient warrior and the bourgeois contemporary immediately creates a comic effect. The body language of the two figures sharpens the satire: the confident Mars meets a fearful Prud'homme, highlighting the absurdity of bourgeois fear.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint, a common medium for caricatures in the 19th century. This is the second state of three (Delteil), suggesting the printing plate was reworked. Fine lines and hatching define the drawing and are characteristic of Daumier's style.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)