Empedocles receiving the divine honors from the inhabitants of Salinonte for having a river purified: Project proposed by the Charivari to the Academy of Fine Arts, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 1, 1866
Original title: Empedocles receiving the divine honors from the inhabitants of Salinonte for having a river purified: Project proposed b the Charivari to the Academy of Fine Arts, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 1, 1866
kurzbeschreibung
An ancient philosopher is celebrated by the citizens of his city for a very earthly deed: Honoré Daumier drew in 1866 the moment when Empedokles, after cleaning a river, receives divine honors. The lithograph appeared in the satirical magazine Le Charivari and thus takes up a current debate at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Description
A kneeling woman on the left pours water from a bowl toward the philosopher, while on the right a man in a long robe holds a crown over his head. Empedokles himself stands between them, surrounded by figures with markedly exaggerated expressions. Columns and clouds frame the layout in the background, lending the scene a mythical air. Evenly distributed gray tones bring out the contours of the figures, and the caricatural approach emerges in the exaggerated faces and small comic details.
Context
Daumier made this print for the satirical magazine Le Charivari, where he regularly commented on political and social issues. The caption refers to a proposal to the Academy of Fine Arts and thus alludes to a contemporary debate about the relationship between art and science. The pre-Socratic thinker Empedokles, known for his doctrine of the elements, is said to have cleaned a river—a motif turned ironically here.
Impact
The satirical exaggeration immediately provokes amusement and at the same time prompts reflection on the gap between ancient hero worship and contemporary criticism of the academy. The calm, symmetrical arrangement stands in tension with the expansive gestures of the figures; this creates a detached, ironic view of the events.
Technique
The print was produced as a lithograph on newsprint—a process Daumier used for his caricatures. It allowed fine lines and graduated shading, with which the expressions and the folds of the garments are precisely worked out here. The thin paper bears typical signs of use, an indication of its use as a print medium of a magazine.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)