← Honoré Daumier

Beware of Derailment!, from "News of the Day"

Original title: Beware of Derailment!, from "News of the Day"

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

December 29, 1866

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; third state of three (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 7/16 × 9 3/16 in. (24 × 23.4 cm) Sheet: 11 9/16 × 10 9/16 in. (29.3 × 26.8 cm)

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1936

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'Vorsicht vor der Entgleisung!' from 1866 is a political allegory with a humorous edge. The print belongs to the series 'News of the Day' and was printed on newsprint.

Description

In the foreground, a figure in a hat struggles to right an overturned railway car bearing the inscription 'SUFFRAGE D'UNIVERS'. Behind, two figures are seen at a steam locomotive, while a landscape with a river and horizon completes the scene. Clear lines and strong contrasts define the lithographic drawing.

Context

The lithograph was made in December 1866 in France as a contribution to Daumier's satirical series 'News of the Day' for the newspaper 'Le Charivari'. It refers to the political developments of the time, especially universal suffrage ('suffrage universel'), which was introduced under Napoleon III. The work survives in the third of three states, indicating multiple revisions of the printing plate.

Impact

The viewer first senses the ironic tension between the figure's heavy labor and the symbolism of suffrage as a train. The layout draws the eye to the central figure and conveys a critical stance toward the political situation. Thus the print is both humorous and thought-provoking.

Technique

For the lithograph on newsprint, a grease crayon was used to draw on stone, which was then printed. The third state shows that the plate was reworked several times to refine details. The choice of newsprint emphasizes the journalistic character of the series.

AI-generated description text

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