← Honoré Daumier

No my children... you are not part of this play here! (March 8 ,1867, Met-Objekt 3428)

Original title: No my children... you are not part of this play here!, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

March 8 ,1867

Medium

Lithograph and pen and brown ink on newsprint; second state of two, proof (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 10 1/16 × 8 13/16 in. (25.5 × 22.4 cm) Sheet: 11 15/16 × 10 1/4 in. (30.4 × 26.1 cm)

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1922

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier caricatures a muscular, threatening man with a sabre facing a frightened group of people in this 1867 lithograph, which he reworked with pen and brown ink on newsprint. A sign in the background reading 'THEATRE DE L'EXPOSITION' alludes to the industrial exhibition. The print lampoons the Paris World's Fair.

Description

A barefoot, muscular figure in a cloak-like garment brandishes a sabre and aggressively advances on a group of people. The crowd in the foreground reacts in different ways: some look terrified, others fend him off or turn away. Behind the scene, a sign is visible bearing the words 'THEATRE DE L'EXPOSITION' and 'L'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE GRANDE FEERIE INDUSTRIELLE SUIVIE DE...'. The drawing remains monochrome in black and white; light falling from above emphasizes shadows and contours. The style is caricatural and satirical, with expressive faces and a dynamic layout.

Context

Daumier made this lithograph ahead of the 1867 Paris World's Fair, conceived as a grand industrial showcase. Known for his social satires, the artist likely criticized the exhibition as a spectacle that ignored the social conditions of the working class. The work was published in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari', for which Daumier worked regularly. This is the second of two print states, a proof that the artist reworked with pen and brown ink.

Impact

The sabre-wielding man instantly creates tension and an aggressive, confrontational mood. The caricatural faces and dynamic arrangement heighten the satirical effect and prompt critical reflection on the exhibition depicted. Together, the lithograph and pen drawing give the sheet a raw, spontaneous expressive power.

Technique

Lithography, reworked with pen and brown ink on newsprint. This is the second of two print states, a proof after Delteil. The lithographic process allows fine lines and shading, while the pen drawing adds further details and accents.

AI-generated description text

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