A deputy's nightmare: – Oh my friend, what has happened? – I dreamed I was invalidated, from "News of the day"
Original title: A deputy's nightmare: – Oh my friend, what has happened? – I dreamed I was invalidated, from "News of the day"
kurzbeschreibung
A deputy lives through the nightmare of his own invalidation in an 1869 lithograph by Honoré Daumier. The print appeared on December 7, 1869, in the satirical journal Le Charivari, as part of the series News of the day. This is the second state of two of a lithograph on newsprint.
Description
A man in a suit, his posture broadcasting shock and despair, dominates the sheet. Newspaper articles and documents crowd the rest of the field, pointing to the political subject at hand; the figure lays claim to the whole arrangement. Muted tones and even lighting without harsh contrasts set the mood of the print.
Context
Daumier drew this lithograph for Le Charivari, the French satirical journal famous for its political criticism. It takes up a deputy's fear of having his election annulled, a volatile political matter in France in 1869. The series News of the day followed daily events with sharp mockery. Daumier ranked among the leading caricaturists of the nineteenth century and used lithography deliberately for political and social satire.
Impact
The figure's expressive stance triggers despair and fear at once. The newspaper material woven into the background sharpens the satirical comment on political reality. Viewers are prompted to reflect on how fragile political power can be.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint, as was customary for a journal publication. Reworkings made during printing attest to the second state of the lithograph. The technique allowed the delicate lines and shading characteristic of Daumier's style.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)