This requires some thought, from "News of the Day"
Original title: This requires some thought, from "News of the Day"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, 'Das erfordert Nachdenken' (That Requires Reflection), in 1867. It depicts a soldier or policeman climbing a stone wall and belongs to the series 'Actualités'. The print is the fourth of four states, pulled on newsprint.
Description
A uniformed figure wearing a helmet that looks more like a top hat struggles upward over rough stone blocks. At the left edge, a sign reads 'FRANCE il y a des prêcher à loup'; below, the caption '—Ça mérite réflexion' accompanies the image. The figure and lettering dominate the layout, which remains monochrome with evenly spread light and a caricatural, lighthearted touch.
Context
The sheet was made for the satirical journal 'Le Charivari', where the 'Actualités' series appeared. Dated 1 May 1867, it falls in the era of the Second Empire under Napoleon III, when Daumier repeatedly targeted political and social abuses. The sign's wording and the caption point to a debate of the time whose exact occasion can no longer be determined with certainty.
Impact
What first makes the viewer pause is the exaggerated body in mid-climb; then the double inscription leaves questions open. Between irony and seriousness, a mood arises that invites further thought; the subtitle 'That Requires Reflection' speaks directly to the reader.
Technique
The image was printed as a lithograph on newsprint, in the fourth of four states (Delteil). This process allowed both fine lines and rapid, inexpensive reproduction for the journal press.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)