Opening of hunting season, it seems that two partridges have been sighted in the area, from 'Autumn sketches,' published in Le Charivari, September 25, 1865
Original title: Opening of hunting season, it seems that two partridges have been sighted in the area, from 'Autumn sketches,' published in Le Charivari, September 25, 1865
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier captures a scene from bourgeois hunting life in this 1865 lithograph: a group of hunters rides in a carriage, giving free rein to their jubilation while one of them waves his cap. The print appeared on September 25, 1865, in the satirical magazine Le Charivari and belongs to the series 'Croquis d'Automne' (Autumn Sketches).
Description
Men in a vehicle, celebrating exuberantly, one with his cap thrown up—that is the motif. Behind the group, another figure can be made out, also expressing joy with a dog on a leash. Grays and whites dominate the printed image, as is typical of this technique. The caption completes it: 'Ouverture de la chasse. Deux Perdreaux ont été signalés dans le pays.'
Context
Daumier published the sheet in Le Charivari during the hunting season. With the 'Croquis d'Automne' series, he lampooned social rituals of his time, including hunting as a bourgeois pleasure. The publication coincided with September 25, 1865, the opening of the French hunting season.
Impact
The exaggerated jubilation of the hunters comes across as ironic and comic. Because the image is limited to shades of gray, the expressive gestures stand out and make the absurdity of hunting enthusiasm visible.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint, in the second of two states. With the lithographic process, Daumier achieved fine lines and shading that give the sheet a sketchy liveliness.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)