Stop pushing please... you have the number 57 and I just called number 3!, from "Parisian Sketches"
Original title: Stop pushing please... you have the number 57 and I just called number 3!, from "Parisian Sketches"
kurzbeschreibung
This lithograph by Honoré Daumier, dated February 4, 1865, belongs to the series 'Croquis Parisiens' and bears the long title 'Stop pushing ... You have number 57, and I have just called number 3!' It captures a crowded street scene in which passengers struggle to board an omnibus while the conductor visibly loses his temper.
Description
Several figures stand tightly packed across the sheet. A gentleman in a top hat and coat clings to a carriage; a woman in a long dress and headscarf looks over at him. Another person, hatted and coated, is caught up in the crush. Behind them appears an omnibus marked 'OMNIBUS', identifying the scene as a Parisian transport motif. The positioning of the figures relative to one another conveys haste and congestion.
Context
The lithograph was published on February 4, 1865, as part of the series 'Croquis Parisiens' (Parisian Sketches), in which Daumier satirized everyday scenes of the capital. At its heart is public transport in the growing metropolis, where omnibuses played a vital role. The caption refers to the numbering system for waiting passengers, which repeatedly led to friction. Daumier was known for his socially critical prints that targeted bureaucratic and urban absurdities.
Impact
The tight staggering of the figures and the lively linework evoke a sense of restlessness and crowding. The viewer is drawn into the hustle and bustle and recognizes the comic exaggeration of the situation. Because dynamic action and satirical text come together, the social criticism becomes immediately understandable.
Technique
Lithography on newsprint, a common process for Daumier's satirical prints that allowed fine line drawings and rapid reproduction for publication. The present impression is the third state of three, as noted in the Delteil catalogue. The drawing on the stone brings out the hatching and tonal values that enliven the scene.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)