← Honoré Daumier

A fantastic painter, from 'A sketch from the Salon,' published in Le Charivari, May 11, 1865

Original title: A fantastic painter, from 'A sketch from the Salon,' published in Le Charivari, May 11, 1865

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

May 11, 1865

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 5/16 × 8 9/16 in. (23.7 × 21.8 cm) Sheet: 11 5/8 × 10 7/8 in. (29.5 × 27.7 cm)

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1922

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'A Fantastic Painter' from 1865 shows two men discussing a work of art. The print belongs to the series 'A Sketch from the Salon' and appeared in the satirical magazine Le Charivari. It was printed in black on newsprint.

Description

Your eye goes first to the two speakers: on the left, a gentleman in a top hat, shirt and waistcoat, a cup in his hand, his expression one of surprise; on the right, a man in a cap pointing at a wall picture visible through a window. That wall picture shows a figure climbing or stepping forward. The layout feels lively and puts the men's exchange at the centre. Subtle grey tones model light and shade in the monochrome print.

Context

The lithograph was made around the Paris Salon of 1865, when Daumier followed the art events of his day with a mocking eye. It was published in the daily newspaper Le Charivari, known for its political and social caricatures. With this series, the artist offered humorous criticism of the often arbitrary interpretations that audiences imposed on artworks. The figure in the top hat probably embodies an art critic or a visitor, while the other points to a depiction of the sky.

Impact

A smile comes on seeing the exaggerated facial expressions and the absurd reading of the wall figure. At the same time, the scene carries an ironic critique of art viewing in those years. Because details are reduced and attention rests entirely on the figures, the dialogue stands out clearly.

Technique

Daumier used lithography for the print, a process that allows fine lines and shading. It was printed on newsprint, as was usual for publication in Le Charivari. The present impression reproduces the second of two states according to Delteil, that is, the final version with elaborated details.

AI-generated description text

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