I spoke continuously for three and a half hours, from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Charivari, December 2, 1865
Original title: I spoke continuously for three and a half hours, from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Charivari, December 2, 1865
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many courtroom caricatures of the period, Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'I spoke uninterruptedly for three and a half hours' focuses less on the bustle of the courtroom than on a dialogue between two legal figures. Created on December 2, 1865, the print belongs to the 'Parisian Sketches' series and was published in black and white on newsprint.
Description
Two figures in judicial attire face each other: on the left, a man in a cap, coat, and sash; on the right, his counterpart in a similar robe and headwear. Their posture, facial expressions, and expansive gestures suggest a heated conversation. The layout remains spare, placing the pair in the foreground; below the image, the dialogue appears in French as a caption.
Context
The print appeared in the satirical magazine 'Le Charivari' on December 2, 1865, as part of Daumier's series 'Parisian Sketches', in which he lampooned urban life and social types. Justice and the legal profession recur frequently in his work, usually with a critical edge. This is the second state of two (Delteil).
Impact
The exaggerated expressions and gestures deliver their humor directly. With little extraneous detail, all attention falls on the conversation and the comic escalation of loquacity. The result is an ironic distance from the profession depicted.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint, a common process for Daumier. The technique allowed for fine lines and gradations that here define facial features and drapery. Black and white sharpen the contrasts between the two figures.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)