← Honoré Daumier

Proposal for an improvement, from 'Exhibition sketches,' published in Le Charivari, May 24, 1864

Original title: Proposal for an improvement, from 'Exhibition sketches,' published in Le Charivari, May 24, 1864

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

May 24, 1864

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 9/16 × 8 1/8 in. (24.3 × 20.7 cm) Sheet: 11 11/16 × 10 7/8 in. (29.7 × 27.6 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier's lithograph "Verbesserungsvorschlag" appeared on 24 May 1864 in the satirical journal Le Charivari, part of the series "Exhibition Sketches." It shows a woman in an exhibition hall holding a tourniquet-like device while a gentleman in a top hat tries to engage her in conversation. The print is the second of two states (Delteil) and was printed on newsprint.

Description

A seated woman in a long dark dress and elaborate hairstyle holds a tourniquet-like object. Around her stand several men in 19th-century dress, including one in a black top hat who turns toward her. A sign reading "EXPOSITION" can be made out in the background. The figures are caricaturally exaggerated, the scene remains monochrome in black and white, and the light is evenly distributed.

Context

Daumier drew regularly for the satirical journal Le Charivari. This lithograph belongs to the "Exhibition Sketches," a series that engaged with the Paris art exhibitions of the 1860s. In it, Daumier observed social manners and fashionable appearances in the exhibition milieu. The title suggests an ironic improvement without clearly naming the specific target of the satire in the image.

Impact

At first glance, the puzzling comedy of the tourniquet-like object draws the eye. The exaggerated figures and the unusual situation feel humorous and sharply observed at once. The even lighting and clear contours give the scene a calm yet pointed presence that invites reflection on its intent.

Technique

The lithograph on newsprint is the second of two states (Delteil). Daumier worked with greasy chalk on the stone, characterizing the figures with quick, assured lines. Printing on newsprint leaves a porous, slightly textured surface typical of publication in a daily newspaper.

AI-generated description text

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