Even more indigestible than a lobster dinner..., from 'Parisian sketches'
Original title: Even more indigestible than a lobster dinner..., from 'Parisian sketches'
kurzbeschreibung
A man with a violently distorted face stands in a hall full of other figures — this motif was captured by Honoré Daumier in an 1864 lithograph. The print belongs to the series 'Croquis Parisiens' and fits into Daumier's satirical observation of society. It is the first of two states (Delteil).
Description
In a room that recalls a hall or a theater, a gentleman in a jacket, waistcoat, and shirt stands with both arms stretched wide. His face expresses surprise or horror. Around him in the background, several people are scattered with similarly exaggerated expressions, some looking toward him. A row of candles on the wall provides light. Everything remains in black and white and is drawn in a caricatural style.
Context
For satirical magazines in the 1860s, Daumier designed the series 'Croquis Parisiens', with which he commented on life in Paris. This print appeared on April 23, 1864, at a time when the artist was known for his political and social caricatures. The motif targets the absurdity of bourgeois customs — here, the supposed indigestibility of a lobster dinner.
Impact
The exaggerated faces and gestures seem both comic and critical. Viewers smile — and recognize behind it the satirical bite against social behavioral patterns. The lithograph's reliance on clear black-and-white effects heightens the expressiveness of the figures.
Technique
The work was made using the planographic process of lithography, in which greasy chalk is applied to the stone. With fine lines and hatching, Daumier modeled details and shadows. In the first of two states, corrections by the artist may still be present that the second state no longer contains.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)