← Honoré Daumier

Vois-tu, mon vieux..... relativement à l'Égypte on ne pourra jamais percer l'Isthme de Suez.... si j'étais à la place de Mr. de Lesspes, je sais bien ce que je ferais!....., from Naïvetés, published in Le Charivari, November 23, 1859

Original title: Vois-tu, mon vieux..... relativement à l'Égypte on ne pourra jamais percer l'Isthme de Suez.... si j'étais à la place de Mr. de Lesspes, je sais bien ce que je ferais!....., from Naïvetés, published in Le Charivari, November 23, 1859

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

November 23, 1859

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; third state of three (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 3/16 in. × 8 in. (23.3 × 20.3 cm) Sheet: 11 7/16 × 9 3/4 in. (29.1 × 24.8 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1859, showing two men talking under a mocking caption. It belongs to the 'Naïvetés' series and appeared on 23 November 1859 in 'Le Charivari'. This is the third of three states (Delteil 3161).

Description

Two men stand at the center, facing each other in conversation. The one on the left wears a jacket, shirt, and trousers; the one on the right only a plain shirt and trousers. Both stand on paved ground. Behind them, buildings and trees are only hinted at. The lithograph stays black and white, with even light and no harsh contrasts. The caricatural tone is reinforced by the caption below the figures.

Context

The print came about against the backdrop of plans for the Suez Canal, which Ferdinand de Lesseps was pushing forward. Daumier published it in the satirical magazine 'Le Charivari', known for political and social criticism. The 'Naïvetés' series often featured naive or absurd remarks by ordinary citizens on current events. This caricature picks up skepticism about the canal project, which was not completed until 1869.

Impact

Because the figures are dressed in everyday clothes and gesture in a familiar way, the image feels immediately accessible. The caption creates an ironic distance from the conversation and invites a smile. The monochrome palette and the sparsely indicated background direct the viewer's attention to the two men and their exchange.

Technique

The print was made as a lithograph on newsprint, as was common for caricatures of the period. This process allowed fine lines and rapid reproduction for a wide audience. The third state likely includes revisions compared to earlier impressions, which fits Daumier's working method.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)