Pardon my friend..... let's verify my powers before yours!
Original title: Pardon my friend..... let's verify my powers before yours!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, July 16, 1869
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1869 for the satirical journal Le Charivari, where it appeared on July 16. It belongs to the series News of the day and sets an allegorical figure of Liberty against a seated, exhausted person. The print is the second of two states and was printed on newsprint.
Description
A tall figure in flowing robes, with the word LIBERTÉ above her, leans thoughtfully toward a seated person and extends a hand. This person wears a cap and is surrounded by smoke. Behind them lie several balls or bales, which can be read as a burden. The layout is asymmetrical, with strong light-dark contrasts created by hatching and lines.
Context
Daumier regularly produced political and social commentary for the satirical journal Le Charivari. The series News of the day appeared in the 1860s and took up current events and social grievances. This print is dated July 16, 1869, a period of political tension in the Second Empire under Napoleon III.
Impact
The caricatural exaggeration and the contrast between the lofty figure of Liberty and the weary person make an immediate impression. The humorous yet critical tone prompts the viewer to reflect on power relations.
Technique
Daumier worked in lithography: he drew the motif with greasy chalk on the stone, from which it was printed on newsprint. The print survives in the second of two states, as recorded in the catalogue raisonné by Delteil.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)