← Honoré Daumier

Run-off elections, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 28, 1869

Original title: Run-off elections, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 28, 1869

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

May 28, 1869

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 15/16 × 9 1/8 in. (25.3 × 23.2 cm) Sheet: 11 7/16 × 11 9/16 in. (29 × 29.3 cm)

Credit line

Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1954

kurzbeschreibung

Two rivals face each other on swings – Honoré Daumier's 1869 caricature of a political showdown. The print belongs to the series 'News of the Day' and appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari. It was printed as a lithograph on newsprint; this is the second of two states.

Description

From a horizontal beam hang two swings, each carrying a man. Their faces are twisted into grotesque grimaces, eyes locked as if in the middle of a shouting match. Around them, other figures watch the spectacle. The swings tilt in opposite directions, injecting movement into the image. Black on a light ground, with crisp outlines and graduated shading, as lithography allows.

Context

Daumier drew this caricature for Le Charivari, where he regularly commented on politics and society. It appeared on 28 May 1869, just days before the French parliamentary elections. He used the image of swings to poke fun at the ups and downs of the runoff elections.

Impact

The distorted faces and the rocking arrangement make the comedy immediate. The onlookers in the background suggest a public stage where political rivalries are played out. The print entertains and criticizes at once, without hiding its satirical edge.

Technique

Lithograph on newsprint: in this process, a fatty crayon is drawn on a stone and then printed. Clean lines and nuanced shading characterize Daumier's prints. This impression is the second of two documented states (Delteil).

AI-generated description text

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