← Honoré Daumier

Poor France... the trunk was struck by lightning, but the roots hold fast, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, February 1, 1871

Original title: Poor France... the trunk was struck by lightning, but the roots hold fast, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, February 1, 1871

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

February 1, 1871

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of three (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 3/16 × 7 11/16 in. (23.3 × 19.6 cm) Sheet: 12 5/16 × 8 11/16 in. (31.2 × 22 cm)

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1922

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1871: a tree struck by lightning, its roots gripping the earth. It appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari on 1 February 1871 and is the second of three states (Delteil). The tree serves as an allegory for France's situation in the Franco-Prussian War.

Description

A tree dominates the sheet, its trunk shattered by lightning, as the bolts and rising smoke behind it make clear. Strong roots reach deep into the ground, giving the damaged tree its hold. Dark clouds and a gloomy sky set the muted, heavily shaded tone of the scene. Beneath the image runs the line: 'Pauvre France!... le tronc est foudroyé, mais les racines tiennent bon!'

Context

The print was made during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), as France suffered military defeats and Paris was under siege. Daumier, a regular political caricaturist for Le Charivari, published the lithograph there. The stricken tree stands for the country's military and political crisis, the roots for the nation's resilience. It appeared shortly before the armistice of 28 January 1871 and the peace negotiations that followed.

Impact

A somber yet hopeful mood emanates from the sheet: the dark, dramatic arrangement stresses the threat, while the firm roots offer comfort and confidence. The allegory conveys its political message directly, without resorting to pathos. The clear tree symbolism speaks straight to the viewer and gives the work a timeless, urgent quality.

Technique

The image was printed as a lithograph on newsprint, a common process for the nineteenth-century mass press. Daumier worked with pen and ink on the lithographic stone, producing fine gradations of shading and a dense tonality. The black print on light paper and the strong contrasts heighten the dramatic effect of the view.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)