This is my "bullet," from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 20, 1869
Original title: This is my "bullet," from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 20, 1869
kurzbeschreibung
A man holds up a ballot paper marked “BULLETIN DE VOTE” and looks toward a building labelled “ELECTION”. This political caricature by Honoré Daumier dates from 1869 and belongs to the series “News of the day”. Executed as a lithograph on newsprint, it takes the French election as its subject.
Description
In the foreground a man in shirt and trousers stands with a worried expression, holding a ballot aloft. His posture is tense. Behind him several people move toward a building bearing signs marked “CANDIDAT”; the building itself is labelled “ELECTION”. Clear lines and high-contrast shadows define Daumier’s lithographic style.
Context
The lithograph appeared on 20 November 1869 in the French satirical journal “Le Charivari” as part of the series “News of the day”. It was made in the run-up to the 1869 parliamentary elections and reflects the political mood of the late Second Empire. In his caricatures Daumier often took up current political and social grievances, referring directly to the day’s politics.
Impact
Irony and seriousness interpenetrate in this print, producing an immediate effect. The title “Hier ist meine Patrone” plays on the double meaning of ballot paper and weapon, underscoring the political explosiveness of the election. The layout draws the eye to the central man and makes the tension and significance of the act of voting palpable.
Technique
For this lithograph Daumier drew with greasy chalk on a stone and then transferred the image to newsprint. The work is in the second state of two, meaning it was revised after the first printing. Clear contours and fine shading demonstrate Daumier’s assured command of lithography, which was suited to mass distribution in newspapers.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)