You don't need to remind me of his achievements. Every day I have them in front of my eyes, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 1, 1871
Original title: You don't need to remind me of his achievements. Every day I have them in front of my eyes, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, November 1, 1871
kurzbeschreibung
Two men stand on a beach, talking about the deeds of a third who is not there. Honoré Daumier drew this scene in 1871 as a lithograph for the series 'Die Nachricht des Tages'; it was printed in black and white on newsprint.
Description
On the beach stand two figures. The one on the left, wearing a cap, shirt and trousers, holds a stick and looks into the distance. The one on the right wears a shirt and trousers with an apron over his shoulder; his right hand is raised as if he is speaking. Rocks and sea form the backdrop. French text with title and date frames the image at top and bottom.
Context
This print was made for the satirical magazine Le Charivari on 1 November 1871. The series 'Die Nachricht des Tages' took up daily political issues in France after the Franco-Prussian War. The accompanying text alludes to the achievements of an unnamed politician or military man, thus pointing to the contemporary debate about defeat and the Paris Commune.
Impact
The calm appearance on the beach is in tension with the ironic undertone of the text, which stresses the constant presence of 'achievements'. The restriction to black and white brings out the gestures and facial expressions of the figures and highlights an everyday communication that is politically charged.
Technique
Lithograph on newsprint, second of two states (Delteil). The process allowed fine lines and rapid reproduction for the daily press. The sheet measures 29.5 × 30.2 cm, the image 23.7 × 19.2 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)