A session of hypnotism, from 'News of the day,' published in 'Le Charivari'
Original title: A session of hypnotism, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Dated 1869, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier presents a hypnotism scene as caricature. Two women appear: the standing one bears the word "CONSTITUTION" on her hand, the seated one "LIBERTÉ" on hers. The sheet was published in the satirical journal Le Charivari.
Description
Two female figures face each other at the middle of the image. The standing woman, dressed in a long-sleeved gown, holds her hand over the seated one as if to hypnotize her. The words "CONSTITUTION" and "LIBERTÉ" can be read on their hands. Monochrome throughout, the lithograph spreads its light evenly, leaving no shadows visible. A caricatural, humorous tone governs the whole arrangement.
Context
This sheet was made for the "News of the day" series in the satirical paper Le Charivari, an organ known for its political and social caricatures. The date of August 31, 1869 places it in the later years of the Second Empire under Napoleon III, when press freedom was curtailed. Hypnosis as a metaphor for political manipulation turns up often in the satire of those years.
Impact
Clearly structured and reduced to a few pictorial elements, the print reads at a glance. An ironic tension arises between "CONSTITUTION" and "LIBERTÉ", prompting the viewer to reflect on the political situation.
Technique
The image was printed as a lithograph on wove paper, a process relying on the repulsion of grease and water. The work survives in the second of two states, and Daumier drew it on the stone himself. Precise lines and an even tonality attest to the artist's technical care.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)