Léocadie, up there 40 centuries and three quarters are looming down upon us. –Oh, my God, and I didn't even dress up!…, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 27, 1869
Original title: –Léocadie, up there 40 centuries and three quarters are looming down upon us. –Oh, my God, and I didn't even dress up!…, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 27, 1869
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's 1869 lithograph caricatures an encounter before a pyramid: a bespectacled gentleman in a suit holds up a bowl and points skyward, while an elegantly dressed woman shields herself with a parasol and looks on in alarm. The print belongs to the 'Actualités' series and appeared on 27 November 1869 in the satirical journal Le Charivari.
Description
On the right stands a man in a suit, glasses on his nose; with a sweeping gesture he raises a bowl or plate and points to the sky with his other arm. Beside him, a woman in fine dress holds a parasol over herself and looks startled or worried. A pyramid rises behind the figures, lending the image a historical or mythical setting. The drawing is sketchy and typical of caricature, executed in black and white and marked with 'H.D.' and 'Actualités'.
Context
Daumier regularly drew political and social caricatures for the satirical journal Le Charivari. The date of November 1869 falls in the period of the Second Empire under Napoleon III, when political tensions and social upheavals shaped the country. The reference to '40 centuries' alludes to the French expedition to Egypt and the Egyptomania of the 19th century. The exchange between the figures parodies the enthusiasm for historical monuments at the time and the moral questions attached to it.
Impact
The contrast between the man's grandiose gesture and the woman's everyday worry about her appearance is what makes it funny. The sketchy linework and exaggerated poses give the scene something lively, almost theatrical. The pyramid in the background adds ironic depth and makes the absurdity of the situation clear.
Technique
Lithography on newsprint: the artist draws with greasy chalk on a stone, which is then printed. This is the second state of two (Delteil), indicating that the printing plate was reworked. The process allows fine hatching and rapid, expressive lines, as are characteristic of Daumier's caricatures.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)