← Honoré Daumier

The defendant (whispering to his lawyer): All this seems to bore the president. Why don't you just suggest to simply let me go home, from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Charivari, February 17, 1866

Original title: The defendant (whispering to his lawyer): All this seems to bore the president. Why don't you just suggest to simply let me go home, from 'Parisian sketches,' published in Le Charivari, February 17, 1866

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

February 17, 1866

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 8 15/16 × 8 3/8 in. (22.7 × 21.3 cm) Sheet: 11 11/16 × 10 7/8 in. (29.7 × 27.6 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1866 for the series 'Croquis Parisiens', which appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari on 17 February 1866. It presents a defendant who turns to his lawyer in confidence during a court hearing. The sheet was printed in black and white on newsprint.

Description

A lawyer in a dark robe and tall cap leans toward a defendant, who speaks to him with a sweeping gesture of one hand. Several onlookers behind them watch the pair. The figures stand out clearly from one another; facial features and postures bring the exchange between the two to the fore. The caption beneath the image reproduces the defendant's remark word for word, making his ironic proposal visible.

Context

Daumier drew this lithograph for the series 'Croquis Parisiens', which began appearing in Le Charivari in 1865. The series was devoted to everyday scenes and social types of Parisian life, often with a satirical edge. The courtroom scene takes up a contemporary practice of the justice system, in which defendants often had to wait a long time for their verdict. Daumier, known for his social criticism, used the caption to comment on the absurdity of bureaucratic justice.

Impact

The caricature works through the subtle irony of its caption and the realistic rendering of the figures. The calm layout draws the eye to the interplay between defendant and lawyer, while the onlookers behind them thicken the atmosphere of the courtroom. The result is a blend of humor and criticism of the justice system that never tips into the grotesque.

Technique

Daumier worked in lithography: a drawing is made on the stone with greasy chalk and then printed on paper. This sheet is the second state of two (Delteil) and was printed on newsprint, as was customary for Le Charivari. Finely graded lines and shading attest to Daumier's sure command of the lithographic process.

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