← Honoré Daumier

Believe me, take my arm! After having been chained for such a long time you will not be strong enough to walk on your own!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, September 22, 1866

Original title: Believe me, take my arm! After having been chained for such a long time you will not be strong enough to walk on your own!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, September 22, 1866

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

September 22, 1866

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; third state of three (Hazard & Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 10 in. × 8 1/4 in. (25.4 × 21 cm) Sheet: 11 15/16 × 11 7/8 in. (30.3 × 30.2 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962

kurzbeschreibung

This lithograph by Honoré Daumier appeared in Le Charivari in September 1866 as part of the series 'Nachrichten des Tages' (News of the Day). Two figures in classical dress stand facing each other, one supporting the other. The caption below reads 'VENEZIE ITALIE 46', alluding to Italy's situation after the annexation of Venetia.

Description

Two figures in classical attire occupy the image. On the left stands someone with a stick, wearing a tunic; on the right, a person in a long robe that reaches over the head, along with a cap. The right figure takes the left one's hand in support. Both stand on a plain surface, nearly centered and turned toward each other. Black on white, with clear, detailed contours. Below the motif appears the inscription 'VENEZIE ITALIE 46', and beneath that the French line.

Context

Daumier drew this sheet for the satirical magazine Le Charivari, where it was published on 22 September 1866. The occasion was the annexation of Venetia by the Kingdom of Italy that same year, following the Third Italian War of Independence. A bound and now liberated figure as an emblem was common in nineteenth-century political caricature. The series 'Nachrichten des Tages' regularly took up current events in Europe.

Impact

Because color is absent, the viewer's attention focuses entirely on the two figures and their gesture. The calm, almost ceremonial arrangement combines care with political confidence. The classical clothing gives the day's event a universal, emblematic quality.

Technique

The lithograph was printed on newsprint; it exists in the third of three states (Hazard & Delteil). This technique allowed fine, detailed lines and precise rendering of the figures. The image measures 25.4 × 21 cm, the paper 30.3 × 30.2 cm.

AI-generated description text

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