These are responsible for those, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, February 9, 1871
Original title: These are responsible for those, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, February 9, 1871
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier's lithograph of 9 February 1871 presents an allegorical figure in a dynamic pose before a column inscribed 'OUI, OUI, OUI'. The print belongs to the 'Actualités' series and carries the number 306. It was printed in the second of four states on newsprint.
Description
A figure in a long, flowing coat stands at the centre, holding a scroll and pointing with the other hand to a column or pedestal bearing the words 'OUI, OUI, OUI'. Scattered figures and landscape elements in the background cast the scene in a sombre light. At the bottom appears the text 'Ceci a tué cela.' (This has killed that). A black-and-white chalk lithograph with detailed, precise linework; the layout focuses clearly on the central figure, whose pose and the text on the column give it weight.
Context
Daumier published this caricature on 9 February 1871 in the French satirical journal 'Le Charivari'. The date falls during the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, when political tensions ran high. The 'Actualités' series addressed current events and social grievances. That it is the second of four states (Delteil) suggests the plate was reworked.
Impact
The clear arrangement and the gesturing main figure are immediately memorable. The gloomy atmosphere of the background and the ironic sentence 'Ceci a tué cela.' create a reflective, almost admonitory effect. The precise linework heightens the print's expressiveness.
Technique
The print was made as a lithograph on newsprint—a common process for caricatures. Daumier used chalk lithography to achieve fine lines and shading. The black-and-white printing emphasises contrasts and the texture of the paper.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)