Papa, I'm getting sick. –Too bad, my son, but in this world you must learn to go in circles, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, April 30, 1866
Original title: –Papa, I 'm getting sick. –Too bad, my son, but in this world you must learn to go in circles, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, April 30, 1866
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many equestrian portraits of its time, Honoré Daumier's 1866 lithograph opts for comic distortion rather than heroic pose: a uniformed man and a child on horseback are caught in a circling movement. The print appeared in Le Charivari and belongs to the series 'News of the day'. This is the second state of two (Delteil).
Description
A man in uniform sits on a horse, holding a stick; beside him a child with a worried expression speaks to him. Around them other riders can be seen moving in a circle. The rendering stays in grayscale, with a caricatural and humorous style. French dialogues and descriptions inserted into the image surface complement the scene.
Context
Daumier drew this piece on April 30, 1866, for Le Charivari, where he published regularly. Within the series 'News of the day' he took up current events and social issues. Lithography served him as a means of political and social critique in 19th-century France.
Impact
The exaggerated figures and humorous dialogue make the print immediately accessible. The riders' circular motion creates a dynamic, almost absurd mood that prompts reflection on the message. The monochrome print underscores the satirical tone.
Technique
The print was produced as a lithograph on newsprint: drawn with greasy chalk on a limestone, then printed. From the second state of two (Delteil), later reworkings of the printing plate exist. The dimensions are 14 1/4 × 11 1/4 inches (36.2 × 28.5 cm).
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)