← Honoré Daumier

My dear Holsteiner, I urge you to vote. – Pardon me, but am I going to end the same way as this one?, from "News of the day"

Original title: – My dear Holsteiner, I urge you to vote. – Pardon me, but am I going to end the same way as this one?, from "News of the day"

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

June 23, 1866

Medium

Lithograph on wove paper; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 5/8 × 8 5/8 in. (24.5 × 21.9 cm) Sheet: 13 11/16 × 10 11/16 in. (34.8 × 27.1 cm)

Credit line

Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier’s 1866 lithograph is a political caricature that calls voters to the polls. In the foreground, two men talk: one in a long coat with an urn, the other in a shirt and cap. A third figure kneels behind them. This black-and-white print belongs to the series 'News of the day'.

Description

At the left, a figure in a long coat, an urn under one arm, gestures sharply at his companion. On the right, a man in a shirt and cap looks up with raised eyebrows, as if caught off guard by the demand. Behind them, another figure crouches on the ground, busy with something. The flat, grey impression relies on the exaggerated facial expressions and movements typical of caricature.

Context

Daumier drew this sheet on 23 June 1866, during the German War between Prussia and Austria. For the journal 'Le Charivari', in the series 'News of the day', he commented on current events. The title alludes to the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, claimed by both Prussia and Austria. The call to vote feels ironic, since the local population had virtually no choice.

Impact

Looking at it, you waver between laughter and doubt: the ordinary man in shirt and cap seems bewildered, while the authoritative gesture with the urn feels insistent. The dark greys and spare layout draw attention to faces and hands, making the absurdity of the political situation palpable.

Technique

The lithograph was printed on wove paper, in the second of two states (Delteil). The process allows soft grey tones and fine transitions, which Daumier exploits for nuanced rendering of his figures. The drawing was put on the stone with ink and then pulled, producing the characteristic line work and shading.

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