← Honoré Daumier

Venice begins to hope, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, April 24, 1866

Original title: Venice begins to hope, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, April 24, 1866

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

April 24, 1866

Medium

Lithograph and pen and brown ink on newsprint; second state of two, proof (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 3/8 × 7 3/4 in. (23.8 × 19.7 cm) Sheet: 14 5/8 in. × 11 in. (37.1 × 28 cm)

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier's lithograph "Venice Begins to Hope," made in 1866, presents an allegorical figure of Venice holding a staff, accompanied by two other people in a flat landscape. The sheet belongs to the "Actualités" series and combines lithography with pen and brown ink drawing on newsprint.

Description

A figure in a long dark robe, staff in hand, stands at the front and is read as a symbol of Venice; she faces forward, turned slightly to the left. Behind her two figures converse: on the left one in plain dress with wig-like hair, on the right one in shirt and trousers with a braided hairstyle. The ground beneath them looks uneven, like a beach, while the background suggests a flat landscape with a horizon. Grey dominates, with colour appearing only in the figures' clothing. At the top one reads "ACTUALITÉS" and the page number "69," at the bottom the text "Ou Venise commence à espérer" and the date "Paris le 16 avril 1866."

Context

The lithograph was published on 24 April 1866 in the French satirical magazine Le Charivari, known for its political caricatures. Daumier takes up Venetian hopes for independence from Austrian rule, against the backdrop of the Third Italian War of Independence of 1866. The date in the image, 16 April 1866, refers to the artistic execution; publication followed later. The sheet takes its place among Daumier's satirical comments on the events of the day.

Impact

A calm, reflective mood arises, carried by the restrained grey palette and the statuesque posture of the main figure. Despite the precarious political situation, the allegorical figure of Venice appears dignified and hopeful, which underlines the title.

Technique

Lithography and pen with brown ink meet on newsprint: the print shows the grainy texture and fine linework typical of Daumier, while the manual reworking adds further accents. The sheet survives as a proof in the second state (Delteil). The combination of print and drawing gives it a particular artistic character.

AI-generated description text

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