Making sure that there is no Fenian under his bed, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, December 21, 1866
Original title: Making sure that there is no Fenian under his bed, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, December 21, 1866
kurzbeschreibung
A man in shirt and trousers crawls on all fours and peers under a bed, fearing a Fenian might be lurking there. Honoré Daumier drew this scene on December 21, 1866, as a lithograph with brown pen on newsprint; the sheet belongs to the series 'News of the day' and appeared in Le Charivari. The second state of two proofs is preserved.
Description
The man leans forward, arms outstretched, and looks under a half-open bed that is empty and only partly hidden by a curtain. Grey tones dominate, produced by lithography and pen drawing. Light falls from above and accentuates shadows and textures of figure and bed. The layout is asymmetrical and draws the eye to the crawling figure.
Context
The caricature appeared on December 21, 1866, in the French satirical magazine Le Charivari within the series 'News of the day'. It refers to the Fenian movement, an Irish republican group active in Britain and Ireland in the 1860s. Daumier, known for his political and social caricatures, took up the fear of political unrest. The second state as a proof suggests careful revision.
Impact
The absurd fear of an invisible threat is both comic and oppressive. Daumier's linework gives the figure an almost grotesque restlessness and exposes the ridiculousness of the fear. Monochrome and uneasy arrangement reinforce the impression of paranoia and uncertainty.
Technique
Lithography and pen drawing in brown ink on newsprint – an unusual combination that allows fine details and strong contrasts. The second state shows a revised version and points to artistic refinement. The lithograph was printed on paper; the pen drawing adds further accents.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)