If I had known....., from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: If I had known....., from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
This lithograph by Honoré Daumier appeared in the magazine Le Charivari in September 1866. It shows a pensive figure seated on a rock, studying an open document labeled 'QUADRILATERE'. The print belongs to the series Actualités.
Description
A lone figure crouches in the foreground on a rock, head propped in hands, gaze lowered, face troubled. Before him lies a large open paper titled 'QUADRILATERE', covered with sketches and notes. The background stays bare: a flat horizon under a dark, clouded sky that carries the somber mood. The layout pulls figure and paper into sharp focus; clear lines and strong light-dark contrasts define the sheet. At the top are the series heading 'ACTUALITÉS' and the page number '183', at the bottom the French exclamation 'Si j'avais su!'.
Context
On September 29, 1866, Daumier published this lithograph in the satirical newspaper Le Charivari. The document labeled 'QUADRILATERE' refers to the Quadrilatero, a fortified area in northern Italy that mattered in the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866. The figure brooding over the consequences of that conflict thus points to the political events of the time in France and Europe. Three states of this print exist; the present copy is the third (Delteil).
Impact
A downcast, reflective mood emanates from the sheet, borne out by the figure's hunched posture and the gloomy landscape. Without tipping into pathos, the view invites reflection on the consequences of political decisions.
Technique
The print was made by lithography on wove paper, common at the time and capable of fine lines and graded shading. This impression is the third of three states, suggesting the plate was reworked. Crisp contours and a strong contrast of light and shadow mark Daumier's mature style.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)