Horseback exercises not without hazards, from "The regeneration of man through gymnastics"
Original title: Horseback exercises not without hazards, from "The regeneration of man through gymnastics"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph Reitübungen, die nicht ohne Gefahr sind, dated 4 November 1865, is a humorous caricature from the series Die Regeneration des Menschen durch Gymnastik. Issued as the third of three states on newsprint, the print presents two figures caught in an absurd exercise routine.
Description
Two exaggeratedly proportioned bodies dominate the sheet: the figure on the left sits on a chair clutching a ball, while the one on the right balances atop a wooden plank. Faces and limbs are wildly distorted, in Daumier's familiar manner. A third person sprawls on the floor behind them, equally overblown. The setting is a plain wooden floor, rendered in black and white under even light, with no cast shadows.
Context
Made on 4 November 1865, the lithograph belongs to Die Regeneration des Menschen durch Gymnastik, Daumier's satirical commentary on the exercise and health craze of the day. It appeared as a third-state print on newsprint, the usual means of circulating caricatures widely in the nineteenth century. The subtitle wryly suggests that supposedly wholesome exercise can carry its own dangers.
Impact
The stretched proportions and the ridiculous situation draw a smile and a chuckle. At the same time the image exposes the naivety of the gymnastics fad, portraying its routines as both foolish and risky. The flat, shadowless handling sharpens the caricatural effect.
Technique
The drawing was transferred to a stone for lithography and then printed on newsprint. This is the third of three states, pointing to reworking of the plate. Crisp lines and the black-and-white rendering define Daumier's graphic hand.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)