← Honoré Daumier

Looking everywhere for their king, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, October 4, 1867 (October 4, 1867, Met-Objekt 3478)

Original title: Looking everywhere for their king, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, October 4, 1867

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

October 4, 1867

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; third state of three (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 10 1/8 × 8 1/4 in. (25.7 × 20.9 cm) Sheet: 12 5/16 × 11 5/8 in. (31.2 × 29.6 cm)

Credit line

Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1954

kurzbeschreibung

An exhausted king is surrounded by three figures – Honoré Daumier captured this motif in 1867 as a lithograph for the satirical magazine Le Charivari. The print belongs to the series 'News of the Day' and appeared on October 4, 1867. It was printed as a lithograph on newsprint, third state of three (Delteil).

Description

On a sofa lies a king who appears tired or ill. One person bends over him, holds his arm and seems to comfort him; a third kneels on the floor and looks up at him. The room remains plain: a door in the background, curtains frame the arrangement. The lithograph is monochrome in black and white, with detailed linework and strong shading. Light falls from the front, illuminating figures and space evenly.

Context

Daumier made the caricature for Le Charivari, a newspaper known for its political and social commentary. In 1867, France was marked by political tensions under Napoleon III, and Daumier often took up current events. The series 'News of the Day' frequently addressed day-to-day politics; the portrayal of a helpless king can be read as a satirical allusion. The sheet was printed as a lithograph on newsprint and published in three states, with this print showing the third state.

Impact

The expressive linework and dramatic lighting give the scene an emotional intensity that speaks directly to the viewer. The caricatural exaggeration of the figures creates a mixture of pity and irony typical of Daumier's satirical style. The reduced pictorial design directs focus to the figures and their interaction, enhancing the caricature's impact.

Technique

Daumier used lithography, a printing process based on the repulsion of grease and water that allows fine shading. The drawing was applied to a stone and then printed on newsprint, suitable for mass distribution in the daily press. The clear linework and nuanced grays show Daumier's masterful command of this technique.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)