Don't look in that direction, don't you see that it's just a scare-crow, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: Don't look in that direction, don't you see that it's just a scare-crow, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1869 for the series 'News of the Day', published in 'Le Charivari'. It presents a woman appearing as Liberty, carrying a shield marked 'LIBERTÉ', while a frightened man turns his back on her. Behind them rises a shadowy outline labeled 'SPECTRE ROUGE'. The whole is executed in black and white with dense hatching.
Description
Two figures dominate the foreground: a woman in a long robe holding the 'LIBERTÉ' shield, and a man who recoils with a look of alarm. She points with one hand toward a particular direction, while he keeps his eyes lowered and away from her. Filling the background is the shadow outline of a human face inscribed 'SPECTRE ROUGE', which reads as menacing. A landscape crosshatched with lines surrounds the action, defining contours and textures alike.
Context
On December 9, 1869, the satirical journal 'Le Charivari' issued this sheet as part of the 'News of the Day' series. Daumier was taking up the political fear of the so-called Red Menace in late Second Empire France. The Liberty figure with the 'LIBERTÉ' tablet stands for republican ideals, while the turned-away man embodies anxiety about social upheaval. The work survives as the second of two states, printed on wove paper.
Impact
A clear tension arises between the Liberty figure's composed, assured bearing and the man's panicked reaction. The dark silhouette of the 'Spectre Rouge' adds an ominous undertone beneath the scene. The print thus reads as a critical comment on the political hysteria of its day, without losing any clarity.
Technique
Daumier printed the lithograph on wove paper; delicate lines and hatching intermingle in a manner typical of him. Light and dark areas contrast through the density of the hatching, which gives the image depth. At roughly 24.6 × 22.6 cm (image), the format stays compact and directs the eye to the figures.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)