On the imperiale, "At one's feet one can observe the swarming of a human ant-hill," from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Petit Journal pour Rire
Original title: On the imperiale, "At one's feet one can observe the swarming of a human ant-hill," from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Petit Journal pour Rire
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier, the sharp-eyed observer of everyday Paris, offers a lithographic snapshot in this sheet from the Parisian Sketches of 1864 or 1865: a figure on a raised platform swings a whip. Printed on newsprint, the lithograph belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Description
In the foreground a sparely drawn figure stands on a platform, hat on head, whip raised to strike. Beside him several people have taken seats on a bench, facing forward, also in hats and jackets. Behind them the ground remains bare, with only a flat bank of clouds visible. Color is entirely absent, and no shadows are laid in.
Context
The print was published in 1864 or 1865 as part of the series Croquis Parisiens, which appeared in the satirical journal Le Petit Journal pour Rire. In it Daumier took aim at city life and Second Empire society. The series stems from his attention to crowds and to social interaction in public space.
Impact
The exaggerated figures give the view a comic yet watchful character. Because the image is reduced to few means, the whip's motion and the waiting people come to the fore; from this arises an ironic distance from the events shown.
Technique
The motif was printed as a lithograph on newsprint, a process Daumier often used for his satirical sheets. The present example is the second state of two (Delteil), suggesting the plate was reworked. Lithography allowed both fine lines and rapid print runs for journalistic use.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)