Listen, you friend of rearmament..... if you saved on steel you could also save some money!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, July 6, 1867
Original title: Listen, you friend of rearmament..... if you saved on steel you could also save some money!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, July 6, 1867
kurzbeschreibung
A man in a long coat and hat points toward a bank door while addressing an armed figure — that pairing sits at the heart of Honoré Daumier's 1867 lithograph. The caption that runs beneath it plays on the cost of armament. The print appeared on July 6, 1867, in the series "News of the day" in the newspaper Le Charivari.
Description
A man in a long coat and hat stands at the left, his hand raised toward a door that, together with a few spare bits of urban architecture, marks the building as a bank. He seems to be speaking. Opposite him, a figure carrying a weapon or tool has taken up position and gestures back in his direction. Black-and-white contours and humorously exaggerated figures define the image, and French text about steel and money runs below the scene.
Context
Daumier made this lithograph for the satirical journal Le Charivari, where he regularly took on political and social subjects. It came out on July 6, 1867, at a time of heated debate in France over armament. The accompanying text alludes to the cost of rearmament and to the economic priorities of the Second Empire under Napoleon III. The series "News of the day" was known for its topical, critical reporting.
Impact
A clear layout and the direct face-off between the two figures make the caricature easy to read at a glance. Exaggerated gestures and the ironic caption produce a satirical effect that invites doubt about the priorities of the day. The restriction to black and white sharpens the message and gives the sheet a documentary edge.
Technique
Daumier turned to lithography, which allowed fast and inexpensive reproduction. The sheet was printed on newsprint, as was usual for publication in a daily paper. This is the third state of three (Delteil), which points to reworking of the printing plate.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)