A day of black ice, the angel of the sidewalk, from "Paris in Winter"
Original title: A day of black ice, the angel of the sidewalk, from "Paris in Winter"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph "A Day of Black Ice, the Angel of the Sidewalk" was made on 18 February 1865 and belongs to the series "Paris in Winter". Two figures appear on the icy pavement, drawn in caricature and carrying a note of humor.
Description
On the sidewalk two figures meet: a hurried gentleman in a suit with a top hat and cigar, and a woman dressed in dark clothes with a headscarf, her hand outstretched as if asking for help. Street, buildings and windows are only sketchily indicated in the dim light. A murky atmosphere reinforces the cold the title evokes, and the arrangement keeps everything focused on the exchange between the two characters.
Context
For the satirical journal Le Charivari, Daumier drew the series "Paris in Winter", commenting on scenes from everyday Parisian life. The lithograph of 18 February 1865 falls in a period when winter ice and the dangers it posed to pedestrians were a well-known urban problem. Daumier picked up such encounters in public space and sharpened their comic side.
Impact
The mood is amusing and thoughtful at once, since the precarious footing on the slippery ground is paired with a comic gesture of appeal for help. Daumier's caricatural style gives this everyday subject a timeless comedy that invites a smile.
Technique
Executed as a lithograph on newsprint, the sheet survives in the third of three states (Delteil). Lithography allows delicate lines and gradations of gray, with which Daumier models light and shadow in the gloomy street scene. Its monochrome printing stresses the graphic quality and the quick, sketch-like grasp of the figures.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)