Oh! mon ami..., quel beau turco!.... quel beau turco!!...., from Au Camp de Saint-Maur, published in Le Charivari, August 15, 1859
Original title: Oh! mon ami..., quel beau turco!.... quel beau turco!!...., from Au Camp de Saint-Maur, published in Le Charivari, August 15, 1859
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's 1859 lithograph stages an amusing encounter between figures in Western dress and others in Oriental costume. The print belongs to the series 'Au Camp de Saint-Maur', published in the satirical journal Le Charivari.
Description
Two men in traditional robes and head coverings sit in the foreground, deep in animated conversation. Beside them stands a gentleman in a tall top hat and Western coat, his gaze fixed on the pair, while a woman in a long, sumptuous gown is also present. Further off, other people in traditional garments gather in small groups. Everything stays in black and white, the light falls evenly and no shadows are discernible.
Context
Daumier made this lithograph during the Second Italian War of Independence, when French troops were deployed in northern Italy. In his 'Au Camp de Saint-Maur' series he lampooned Parisians' enthusiasm for military spectacle and their craze for the Orient. The sheet appeared in Le Charivari, a satirical daily aimed at a bourgeois readership.
Impact
The contrast between the serious, traditionally dressed figures and the curious Westerners produces a comic effect. Daumier's drawing gives the scene a lively, almost theatrical movement that invites a smile.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint; it survives in the second of four states (Delteil). The lithographic process allowed for delicate lines and gradations characteristic of Daumier's style. The even distribution of light, with no shadows, is one of the hallmarks of this printing technique.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)