Honoré Daumier, l'homme et l'œuvre : ouvrage orné d'un portrait à l'ea-forte, de deux héliogravures et de 47 illustrations
Original title: Honoré Daumier, l'homme et l'œuvre : ouvrage orné d'un portrait à l'ea-forte, de deux héliogravures et de 47 illustrations
kurzbeschreibung
Arsène Alexandre published this monograph on Honoré Daumier in 1888. The volume runs to 383 pages and is supplemented by 12 plates, a portrait and 47 illustrations that offer insight into the artist's life and oeuvre.
Description
Five figures gather on a stage or raised platform. Several wear hats and jackets, suggesting formal or historical dress. Mountains and a plume of smoke in the distance point to an open-air setting. One figure in the middle raises a staff or weapon, while another stands near a curtain. The monochrome treatment and exaggerated expressions give the picture a caricatural edge.
Context
Nine years after Daumier's death, the book appeared in 1888 and helped secure his artistic legacy. Alexandre, a respected art critic, produced one of the first comprehensive biographies of Daumier. Its publication came at a time of growing appreciation for the artist in the late nineteenth century.
Impact
The illustrations in the volume combine realistic handling with caricatural traits, echoing Daumier's own satirical visual language. The dynamic layout draws the eye to the central figure and lends the whole a lively, almost theatrical presence.
Technique
The book was produced by letterpress printing, with the 12 plates and the portrait executed as heliogravures. The illustrations are black-and-white prints, which accounts for the monochrome effect. The reproduction methods of the period allowed the original works to be rendered in faithful detail.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)