A Somewhat Naive Nurse, from 'News of the Day,' Published in Le Charivari, January 4, 1871
Original title: A somewhat naive nurse, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, January 4, 1871
kurzbeschreibung
A nurse in dishevelled attire, her garment bearing the word “protocole”, stands at the heart of this 1871 lithograph by Honoré Daumier. The print belongs to the series “News of the day” and appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari. Daumier’s drawing was printed as a lithograph on newsprint.
Description
The nurse rises centrally before a large, irregularly shaped object that recalls a pipe or a cannon barrel. The word “protocole” repeats on her dress and on the cloth in her hand. Her hair is emphatically unkempt, and her shoes sit oddly with the rest of her outfit. Newspaper clippings headed “Actualités” and numbered 283 can be made out in the background. The layout feels asymmetrical, the execution monochrome and thoroughly caricatural.
Context
The lithograph was published on 4 January 1871, in the midst of the Franco-Prussian War and the siege of Paris. In his series “News of the day” Daumier took up current political and social events. This caricature alludes to bureaucratic formalities (“protocol”) in a time of hardship. Le Charivari, a well-known satirical journal, reached a broad bourgeois audience with such prints.
Impact
Exaggerated details and the mismatched clothing prompt a laugh that remains critical. Absurdity and seriousness combine in a way that invites reflection on the situation of the time. The humorous tone softens the political message without blunting its edge.
Technique
Lithography, a common printing process of the period, was used for this newspaper illustration. The drawing was transferred to a stone and then printed on newsprint. Monochrome execution and clear lines characterize Daumier’s printmaking.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)