Latest news, from 'In the pub,' published in Le Charivari, December 30, 1863
Original title: Latest news, from 'In the pub,' published in Le Charivari, December 30, 1863
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier published this lithograph on December 30, 1863, as part of his series 'In der Kneipe' (At the Tavern). It appeared on newsprint and is the third state of three (Delteil). Men are shown reading newspapers in a tavern.
Description
In the foreground, a pipe-smoking man in a jacket and hat has settled down to read, utterly relaxed. Behind him, other patrons are scattered at tables, also bent over newspapers, some in hats and coats, suggesting cold weather. The layout runs horizontally, the reader in front, the remaining figures staggered behind. Light falls from above, bringing out faces and hands. The palette remains black and white, as is usual for lithographs.
Context
At the end of 1863, on December 30, the satirical magazine Le Charivari published this sheet within the series 'In der Kneipe'. Daumier was working at a time when Napoleon III curtailed press freedom, while reading newspapers in taverns and other public spaces was part of everyday life. The motif ties into the contemporary debate about the social role of the press.
Impact
Realistically handled and taken directly from daily life, the print reaches the viewer without detours. The casually seated reader and the quiet group create a calm mood that draws the eye into the tavern scene.
Technique
The image was printed as a lithograph on newsprint; the artist draws with greasy chalk on the stone and then pulls the impressions. The third state here suggests revisions from earlier impressions, typical of Daumier's working method.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)