Sir, so far there are only five people here...
Original title: Sir, so far there are only five people here..., from 'Theater sketches,' published in Le Charivari, April 3, 1864
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph "Mein Herr, bisher sind nur fünf Personen hier …" appeared on 3 April 1864 in the satirical journal Le Charivari as part of the series "Theater sketches". The print presents a theatrical scene: a woman gesturing animatedly and two men in dark clothing. This is the second state of two (Delteil).
Description
A woman in a dark long-sleeved dress stands at the front, indicating something with a sweep of her hand; beside her, a man in a dark suit and top hat. A third man in a dark suit appears further back. The room suggests a theatre box or anteroom, with a door at the rear and a window on the left. Black and white with graduated greys gives depth and contour. The layout feels lively: the woman in front, the men staggered behind.
Context
Daumier published the lithograph on 3 April 1864 in Le Charivari, a satirical daily for which he drew regularly. The series "Theater sketches" poked fun at Parisian theatre life in the 1860s. The print came out as the second state of two on newsprint.
Impact
The caricatural approach creates a cheerful, almost ironic mood, typical of Daumier's social critique. The woman's lively gestures and the calm male figures form an effective contrast that draws the eye into the action.
Technique
Lithography on newsprint, a common process for Daumier's satirical prints. The technique allows fine gradations of grey, used here to give figures and space a sense of volume.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)