Villégiature, from Nos Troupiers, published in Le Charivari, July 26, 1859 (July 26, 1859, Met-Objekt 3182)
Original title: Villégiature, from Nos Troupiers, published in Le Charivari, July 26, 1859
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier’s lithograph 'Landaufenthalt' (Country Stay) appeared on 26 July 1859 in Le Charivari. It shows two soldiers making themselves comfortable in a rural setting. The print belongs to the series 'Nos Troupiers' and exemplifies Daumier’s satirical view of the military.
Description
Two men in plain peasant clothing lie stretched out on the ground. The one on the left props himself on an elbow and smokes a cigarette; the other leans his head against his companion’s shoulder. A tree bends over them, while behind stretches a flat, wide landscape to the horizon. The layout pushes the pair into the foreground, and the light stays even without harsh contrasts. Grays and whites dominate the sheet, with fine hatching and clear lines giving it structure.
Context
In 1859 Daumier published the series 'Nos Troupiers' in the satirical journal Le Charivari, famous for its caricatures. The series took aim at the daily life of ordinary soldiers under the Second Empire of Napoleon III, often with an ironic tone. At the time France was engaged in military conflicts such as the Sardinian War, and the army was very much in public discussion.
Impact
The relaxed posture of the two men and the quiet landscape give the print an almost idyllic quality—a contrast to the usual heroic military images. The simple visual language and the everyday situation invite reflection on soldiers’ daily lives without moralizing.
Technique
For this work Daumier chose lithography on newsprint—a process that allowed quick and inexpensive prints for periodicals and was typical of him. The present sheet is the second state of four (according to Delteil), suggesting that the printing plate was reworked. The format of about 24.8 × 23 cm points to a compact, detailed reproduction intended for publication in a daily newspaper.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)