On Sentry Duty: Autumn –and the password? Time–Fraternity and artillery, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, September 30, 1867
Original title: On Sentry Duty: Autumn –and the password? Time–Fraternity and artillery, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, September 30, 1867
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many contemporary allegories, this 1867 lithograph by Honoré Daumier pairs Death as a sentinel with a female figure embodying fertility. The sheet belongs to the series 'News of the day' and appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari. It is the third of three states (Delteil).
Description
A figure representing Death, shovel in hand, stands in the foreground. Beside him is a woman with a fruit, readable as spring or fertility. Further figures, perhaps allegories of time, can be made out behind them. The layout feels restless; bold lines and shadows create depth. The lithograph remains in black and white.
Context
Daumier drew the sheet for the satirical newspaper Le Charivari, known for political and social caricature. Its publication on 30 September 1867 falls in the era of the Second Empire under Napoleon III. The title alludes to debates of the day about the military and brotherhood, possibly against the backdrop of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Lithography served Daumier as a medium for critical commentary.
Impact
Death and fertility side by side create an unsettling tension between transience and vitality. The satirical imagery prompts reflection on the political and social conditions of the time. Clear lines and the contrast of black and white give the sheet an immediate visual punch.
Technique
Executed as a lithograph on newsprint, drawn with greasy chalk on a stone and then printed. Daumier mastered this process and used it for his series in Le Charivari. The third state (Delteil) suggests possible reworking or corrections that matter for print quality.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)