My friend, you are tall enough; but now you must try to put on some weight!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, August 29, 1866
Original title: My friend, you are tall enough; but now you must try to put on some weight!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, August 29, 1866
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph from 1866 is a caricature with two allegorical figures: a woman labelled EUROPE on her dress balances on a cone inscribed ITALIE, facing a man who personifies Italy. The print appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari and is the second state (Delteil) on newsprint.
Description
The woman marked EUROPE, her dress bearing the word, stands atop a cone labelled ITALIE. She holds the hand of a man tagged ITALIE, who wears a garment with looped patterns, a cap, and smiles at her. Her direct gaze meets his friendly grin. Above the scene are the title ACTUALITÉS and the page number 159; below runs the text: 'Mon ami, vous avez assez grandi, il faut maintenant tâcher de prendre des forces.' At the bottom edge are the printer and publisher credits 'A. DEVRESSE R. Rivoli 53' and 'LITH DESTOUCHES 28 R. Paradis 91'.
Context
The caricature appeared on 29 August 1866 in the French satirical journal Le Charivari, known for its political and social cartoons. Daumier addresses Italian unification (the Risorgimento): the figure ITALIE is urged by EUROPE to put on weight, referring to the political and military strength of the young Kingdom of Italy. The lithograph was made at a time when Italy, after unification in 1861, was struggling for international recognition and stability. The sheet belongs to the series Actualités, in which Daumier commented on current events.
Impact
The clear contrast between the two figures and their explicit labels make the image immediately legible. The woman's friendly gesture and the man's smile soften the political mockery, so the criticism feels playful rather than aggressive. Through the allegories the caricature gains a timeless quality that still points to the specific historical moment.
Technique
Lithography on newsprint, a process typical of Daumier's satirical prints, yields fine lines and shading, especially visible in the faces and garments. Such prints were published in journals like Le Charivari. This sheet is the second state, indicating that the printing plate was reworked after the first pull (Delteil 3504).
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)