← Honoré Daumier

Wine harvest in Argenteuil, from 'Autumn sketches,' published in Le Charivari, September 21, 1865

Original title: Wine harvest in Argenteuil, from 'Autumn sketches,' published in Le Charivari, September 21, 1865

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

September 21, 1865

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 13/16 × 8 1/2 in. (25 × 21.6 cm) Sheet: 11 9/16 × 11 1/16 in. (29.3 × 28.1 cm)

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1922

kurzbeschreibung

Unlike the other sheets in the 'Autumn Sketches' series, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier does not focus on the work in the vineyard itself but on two people waiting in front of it. Made on September 21, 1865, it appeared in the magazine 'Le Charivari' and combines the depiction of rural labor with Daumier's inclination toward caricature.

Description

Two figures hold a stretched umbrella together, the left one wearing a long, flowing skirt and a head covering, the right one a hat and jacket. Behind them, several people are scattered across the area among the vines, busy with the harvest. The layout runs horizontally, the pair stays in front, the workers' activity behind. Everything is drawn in black and white, the light falls evenly over the sheet, hard contrasts are absent.

Context

For 'Le Charivari', the satirical Paris daily to which Daumier regularly contributed, this sheet was created as part of the 'Autumn Sketches', which appeared between September and October 1865. Argenteuil was then known as a well-known wine-growing area near Paris and was later appreciated by painters such as Monet. That Daumier took up everyday scenes and recorded social observations is as visible here as in many of his other works.

Impact

The exaggerated figures and the comic way both crowd under one umbrella give the sheet a caricature-like yet believable touch. A calm emanates from the even arrangement, almost an idyllic mood, as belongs to Daumier's satirical works.

Technique

The sheet was printed as a lithograph on newsprint and exists in the second of two states (Delteil). Lithography in particular allowed fine lines and rapid reproduction for the magazine. The use of only black and white emphasizes the graphic character of the motif.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)