← Honoré Daumier

This poor King Louis XIV doesn't believe his eyes, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, August 21, 1871

Original title: This poor King Louis XIV doesn't believe his eyes, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, August 21, 1871

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

August 21, 1871

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint

Dimensions

Image: 10 1/2 × 8 3/4 in. (26.7 × 22.3 cm) Sheet: 11 13/16 × 11 11/16 in. (30 × 29.7 cm)

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1948

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier takes aim at King Louis XIV in this 1871 lithograph: the monarch, on horseback, recoils in shock from a door inscribed 'REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE'. Published in the satirical journal Le Charivari as part of the series 'Actualités', the print was produced by lithography on newsprint.

Description

Louis XIV appears in historical dress astride a horse, arms thrown up in horror, his gaze fixed on a door labelled 'REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE'. The backdrop resembles a newspaper clipping: the word 'ACTUALITÉS' runs across the top, and the date 'Aug. 21, 1871' sits at the lower right. The layout feels restless; concentrated strokes heighten the sense of movement and intensity. Everything is monochrome, with no visible shadows, and the style is caricatural, with exaggerated gestures and facial expressions.

Context

Daumier made this print in 1871, shortly after the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, as France was forming the Third Republic. Known for his political caricatures, Daumier here mocks the historical figure of Louis XIV, who would never have expected a republican National Assembly. Its publication in Le Charivari, an influential satirical journal, addressed a broad bourgeois readership. The work belongs to the series 'Actualités', which commented on current events.

Impact

The caricature gets its comedy from the clash between the Sun King's majestic pose and his panicked reaction to the Republic. The overstated gestures and incredulous expression invite a smile, while the historical allusion carries a deeper political message. The dynamic linework gives the scene a lively, almost theatrical quality.

Technique

The image was made as a lithograph, a planographic process in which a design is drawn on stone with greasy chalk and then printed. It was printed on newsprint, as was usual for satirical sheets of the period. The monochrome rendering and even distribution of light are typical of this technique, which allows fine lines and shading.

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