The Real Masked Fighter, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 9, 1867
Original title: The real masked fighter, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 9, 1867
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'The True Masked Fighter' appeared on 9 November 1867 in the magazine Le Charivari. It presents a stocky, masked wrestler in a fighting stance. This impression on newsprint is the third state of three (Delteil).
Description
A muscular man wearing a band across his eyes and short trunks stands tensed for action. Behind a wall, spectators can be made out. Shadowy lighting gives the whole a dramatic mood. The figure reads as realistic, with worked-out muscles and clear movement. Strong contours and firm contrasts of light and dark carry the monochrome image.
Context
The caricature was made for Le Charivari, a journal known for political and social satire. Its publication fell in the years of the Second Empire under Napoleon III, when Daumier often took aim at abuses and political figures. The title plays on the public appetite of the day for boxing and wrestling matches, which drew crowds.
Impact
The detailed musculature and dramatic lighting lend the masked fighter strength and momentum. The anonymous mask sets up a tension with the athletic presence and pulls the viewer's eye. The sheet stirs a mixture of threat and fascination, typical of Daumier's satirical work.
Technique
Drawn on the stone with greasy chalk and then printed, lithography allows the fine lines and shading that matter for a realistic rendering of muscles and movement. The third state of three points to changes in the printing process that define the final version. The sheet was printed on newsprint.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)