And these two old wrecks consoled each other, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 15, 1866
Original title: And these two old wrecks consoled each other, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 15, 1866
kurzbeschreibung
Two figures turned toward each other in an embrace stand before a wall bearing the words 'LA LIBERTE.' Honoré Daumier created this image in 1866 as a lithograph for the satirical journal Le Charivari; the print is the second of two states according to Delteil. Political allegory and human tragicomedy are tightly interwoven in this sheet.
Description
Wrapped in dark garments, two people hold each other close; the bare wall behind them carries the inscription 'LA LIBERTE' in large letters. Irregular strokes and lines cover the surface, suggesting decay or destruction. Beneath the scene runs the French sentence 'Et ces deux grands débris se consolaient entre eux.' The figures' posture and clothing convey seriousness and contemplation.
Context
On May 15, 1866, the lithograph appeared in the satirical newspaper Le Charivari, for which Daumier drew political and social caricatures for decades. It belongs to the series 'News of the day' (Actualités), with which he commented on current events. The inscription 'LA LIBERTE' and the description of the figures as 'debris' allude to the political upheavals in France under Napoleon III. The second state of the print shows revisions compared to the first.
Impact
The intimate embrace of the two figures is immediately touching, while the wall inscription creates an ironic contrast. Coarse linework and dark tonality heighten the impression of melancholy and resignation. The viewer oscillates between sympathy and critical reflection on the state of liberty.
Technique
For rapid and mass distribution, Daumier used lithography on newsprint. The drawing was applied to the stone with greasy crayons and then printed; the second state shows differences from the first edition. Irregular lines and hatching produce an expressive, sketch-like texture.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)