Hello! My good man! How much for your hare?
Original title: Hello! My good man! How much for your hare?, from 'Hunting sketches,' published in Le Charivari, October 20, 1864
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's 1864 lithograph sends up a hunting scene: an armed sportsman calls out to a man wearing antlers on a rise above him. The sheet belongs to the series 'Hunting Sketches' and appeared in 'Le Charivari'.
Description
At the front right a man in a hat stands with his rifle, both hands flung up to his face, addressing someone higher up the slope who wears a pair of antlers. A dog sits between the two. Trees and a cloudy sky close off the view. Chalk strokes in black and white, varying in weight, build the shading; the arrangement is lopsided, with the main action pushed close to the viewer.
Context
Published in 'Le Charivari' on October 20, 1864, the print comes from Daumier's series 'Hunting Sketches'. The Frenchman (1808–1879) was known for political and social caricature, and this series takes aim at the middle-class passion for hunting in the nineteenth century.
Impact
The sportsman's wild gesture grabs you first, then the absurd twist lands: instead of a hare, the other man offers a set of antlers. Realistic touches and caricatural exaggeration play off each other and leave you smiling. The sparing colour keeps attention on the two talking figures.
Technique
Lithography on newsprint, a standard process at the time for satirical prints. The drawing went onto the stone in greasy chalk and was pulled from it. This is the second state of two, with slight differences from the first impression.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)