From Scylla to Charybdis, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, March 20, 1869
Original title: From Scylla to Charybdis, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, March 20, 1869
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1869, and it appeared as the third state in the magazine Le Charivari. An allegorical boat trip carries Europe between two rocks, hinting at the political situation of the continent. Caricature and political imagery join forces here.
Description
A small crowned figure sits in a boat labelled EUROPE and paddles along. The posture looks tense and dynamic, conveying effort and movement. Two rocks bear the labels ALLEMANDE and QUESTION D'ORIENT. Wavy lines suggest the sea; the black-and-white scene relies on sharp contours and strong shading.
Context
On 20 March 1869 the satirical paper Le Charivari published the sheet. Daumier takes up Europe's precarious position between the German question and the Eastern question. The phrase from Scylla to Charybdis comes from ancient mythology and means a dilemma between two dangers. This print belongs to Daumier's series News of the day, which commented on day-to-day political events.
Impact
The exaggerated figure straining at the oars creates a mood that is threatening and ironic at once. The clear layout pulls the eye straight to the two labelled rocks as sources of danger. Thanks to the caricatural stylisation, the political message remains legible even without knowing the specific occasion.
Technique
Daumier used lithography on newsprint, a common process for caricature in his day. The sheet survives in the third of three print states, as documented in Delteil. This technique allows fine shading and sharp lines, which are decisive for the dynamic effect of the scene.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)