A good occasion to test the power of his voice, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: A good occasion to test the power of his voice, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier took a public meeting as the subject of this 1869 lithograph: a speaker has stationed himself on a platform and addresses those present. The print belongs to the series 'News of the day' and appeared in the satirical magazine 'Le Charivari'. This is the third of three states (Delteil).
Description
A figure stands at the front on a raised podium, delivering a speech with an exaggerated pose. His face looks tense, almost desperate, his arms are stretched wide, and his right hand grips a pipe. Behind him a crowd of listeners is spread out, their gazes turning in different directions and their reactions divided: some appear agitated or alarmed, others remain indifferent or attentive. In the upper left a hand with a bell thrusts into the image, which can be read as a signal or a call for quiet. Below the image is the text 'Bonne occasion pour vérifier les pouvoirs... de sa voix'.
Context
Daumier made this lithograph for the satirical newspaper 'Le Charivari', where he regularly caricatured political and social events. The series 'News of the day' was created in the 1860s and took aim at current events of the Second Empire. The motif refers to public speeches and gatherings, which were gaining increasing importance at that time.
Impact
Between the speaker's theatrical performance and the restless audience arises a comic yet somewhat oppressive mood. The bell and the caption ironically question the effect of the speech and encourage reflection on public appearances.
Technique
The print was produced as a lithograph on wove paper, a process Daumier often used for his caricatures. He worked the printing plate in three states; the present impression is from the third. The dimensions are 24 × 20.3 cm (image) and 35.6 × 26.8 cm (sheet).
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)