The day after the battle, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 25, 1869
Original title: The day after the battle, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 25, 1869
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph 'The Day After the Battle' from 1869 shows a group of men lying on the ground, some holding papers marked 'VOTE'. Published in the satirical journal Le Charivari, the print lampoons the political events of the day. This caricature belongs to the series 'News of the Day'.
Description
Figures sprawl across the ground, some apparently unconscious or dead, dressed in suits and clutching slips of paper inscribed 'VOTE'. More bodies recede in staggered rows behind them. The layout feels orderly: the main actors occupy the foreground, while the rest line up behind. Shades of gray and black dominate the monochrome sheet, deepening the somber mood; the caricatural style matches the newspaper humor of the 19th century.
Context
The lithograph was published on May 25, 1869, in the French satirical journal Le Charivari. Daumier created it amid the political tensions of the Second Empire. The word 'VOTE' alludes to the elections of those days and the political struggle. The series 'News of the Day' took up current events with biting satire.
Impact
The sight of the fallen figures is oppressive, and the muted grays and blacks reinforce that feeling. At the same time, the caricatural style gives the print an ironic twist and prompts reflection on the absurdity of war. The ordered arrangement of the figures brings structure to the chaos of the scene.
Technique
A lithograph on newsprint, second state of two (Delteil). The lithographic process allowed for fine lines and shading, which were used for detailed rendering. The monochrome in grays and blacks is typical of the print media of the period.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)