View from the first week in January, from 'News of the day,' published in 'Le Charivari'
Original title: View from the first week in January, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Where many caricatures of the day single out one figure, this 1869 lithograph by Honoré Daumier puts a pair at its heart: two men in suits and hats stand face to face, each holding the other by the suspenders. The sheet belongs to the series 'Tagesneuigkeiten' and appeared in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari'.
Description
What separates this view from similar scenes is the mirror-like arrangement of the two men: each has his hands at his hips and grips the other's suspender. The man on the left wears a darker suit and has lighter skin, the one on the right a lighter suit and darker skin. The backdrop stays flat and bare of detail, so the figures stand out clearly. The black-and-white drawing looks realistic, yet caricaturally exaggerated.
Context
Compared with other sheets in the series, this lithograph came out on 9 January 1869 in the French satirical journal 'Le Charivari'. Daumier published it within his 'Tagesneuigkeiten' series, which took up current events and social matters. The motif follows the tradition of nineteenth-century political and social caricature.
Impact
Rather than dramatic scenes, this sheet works through the figures' symmetrical stance and the comic grip on the suspenders: the exchange feels funny and tense at once. The pared-down setting turns the eye entirely on this absurd encounter.
Technique
Unlike plain black-and-white prints, this is a lithograph on wove paper, carried out in black and white. It is the second state of two (Delteil), which points to a reworking of the printing plate. Line and shading follow Daumier's usual lithographic practice.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)