Run-off elections: Will she invite me for a second waltz?, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: Run-off elections: Will she invite me for a second waltz?, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Men in suits and hats sit on benches listening to a woman labelled 'France' — this is what Honoré Daumier's 1869 lithograph 'Stichwahlen: Wird sie mich zum zweiten Walzer auffordern?' presents. The political caricature belongs to a series that appeared in the satirical journal 'Le Charivari'.
Description
Rows of men in suits and hats have taken their places on benches, all looking across at a standing woman. This figure, titled 'France', stands on the right, wearing a long-sleeved dress and a long veil. A curtain forms the backdrop, and the print stays in black and white, as is usual for lithographs. Beneath the image appear the title 'Les Ballottés' and the question 'M'invitera-t-elle pour le second tour de valse?'.
Context
The sheet was made in the late years of the Second Empire, when political unrest and election campaigns shaped the country. The series 'Les Ballottés' (the runoff candidates) took up the 1869 legislative runoffs, in which candidates courted voters. Showing France as a woman who decides the election was a common allegory in nineteenth-century political caricature. The lithograph was published in 'Le Charivari', a well-known satirical journal of the day.
Impact
By presenting the election as a dance in which the candidates woo France's favour, the print creates an ironic distance. The men's calm seating order contrasts with the tension one would expect from an election, which underlines the absurdity of the political process. The viewer is left smiling, yet the sheet also prompts reflection on the roles of voters and the elected.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on wove paper, a process that relies on the repulsion of grease and water. Daumier used this technique to achieve fine lines and shading that capture the figures' expressions and gestures precisely. The present impression is the second state of two (Delteil), which points to a reworking of the plate.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)