An inventor who is afraid of getting stuck, sitting on his stock, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 31, 1867
Original title: An inventor who is afraid of getting stuck, sitting on his stock, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 31, 1867
kurzbeschreibung
This lithograph by Honoré Daumier appeared in Le Charivari on May 31, 1867, as part of the series 'News of the Day'. It depicts an elderly inventor who has taken a seat on a pile of balls and is writing. The print is in the second state of two (Delteil).
Description
A bespectacled old man squats amid a stack of large balls, pen in hand, his face downcast. Behind him, several figures in caps and coats look on with smiles. The layout sets the solitary sitter against the amused onlookers. The image is dominated by greys, with even light and no harsh shadows. The caricature relies on expressive faces and exaggerated gestures.
Context
On May 31, 1867, Daumier published this joke in the Parisian satirical journal Le Charivari. Within the series 'News of the Day', which targeted current events and social shifts, the figure of the inventor perched on his supplies points to people stuck between debts and ideas. The balls can be read as a metaphor for burdens or obligations, as they often are in Daumier's work.
Impact
Comedy and melancholy meet here: the dejected inventor contrasts with the smirking bystanders. The exaggerated posture and odd seating give the image something absurd and prompt reflection on the protagonist's situation.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint, a common process for Daumier's satirical sheets. The second state suggests corrections or additions compared with the first. The greys come from lithographic ink on stone; the even distribution of light is one of the peculiarities of this technique.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)