At a Usurer's, from 'News of the Day,' published in Le Charivari, March 21, 1865
Original title: At a usurer's, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, March 21, 1865
kurzbeschreibung
This 1865 lithograph by Honoré Daumier captures a satirical encounter between a moneylender and his client in a sparsely furnished interior. It belongs to the series 'News of the day' and was published in the magazine Le Charivari. Printed on newsprint, the work is the second state of two.
Description
Two figures fill a bare room: a seated moneylender holding a letter, while his standing counterpart gestures with one hand. The seated man wears a collared jacket and striped trousers; the standing one, a patterned shirt and also striped trousers. A door and a window structure the background. Below the image field, text appears with the heading 'CHEZ UN USURIER' and a brief explanation. Clear lines and distinct shading define the gray-scale lithograph.
Context
On March 21, 1865, the print appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari, for which Daumier worked regularly. The series 'News of the day' lampooned social and political events in Second Empire France. Daumier repeatedly addressed social ills such as greed and exploitation; the moneylender recurs as a motif in his work.
Impact
The clear layout and precise lines give the scene an immediate, incisive quality. The client's gesture and the moneylender's calm, focused gaze create a tension that heightens the satirical critique of money morals. The reduced gray-scale palette directs attention to the figures and their interaction.
Technique
For this print, Daumier drew with greasy chalk on the stone and then transferred the image to newsprint—the lithographic process. The second state of the print suggests revisions or corrections from the first. Lithography allowed for fine lines and shading, which was important for details such as fabric patterns and facial expressions.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)