Not surprising that it will be long with all these erasures, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, April 24, 1872
Original title: Not surprising that it will be long with all these erasures, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, April 24, 1872
kurzbeschreibung
An open book lies on a table, its pages covered with handwritten corrections and crossings-out. Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1872 for the series 'Actualités' in the satirical magazine Le Charivari. The print is the second state of two (Delteil).
Description
An open book rests squarely on a tabletop. On the left page reads 'Commission d'Enquet', on the right 'D'Apptet'. A hand reaches in from the left and holds the left page open. More books and newspaper pages are suggested around it, their text only hinted at. Greys and whites dominate, contours are crisp, and the light falls evenly with no shadows.
Context
Daumier made this lithograph for Le Charivari, where he regularly published political and social commentary. The subject refers to the drawn-out parliamentary inquiries of the Third Republic, often marked by bureaucratic deletions and revisions. The date of 24 April 1872 points to its immediate contemporary reception. The second state of the print shows the artist's own reworking.
Impact
The restrained black-and-white handling and clear layout pull the eye straight to the central book, whose many corrections come across as almost absurd. The satire is sharpened by the seemingly banal inscriptions, which allude to bureaucratic procedure. The sheet feels precise and at the same time humorous, without sliding into mere caricature.
Technique
Daumier used lithography, drawing with greasy chalk on stone before printing onto paper. This sheet was printed on newsprint, pointing to publication in a daily newspaper. The second state reflects a revision of the print, typical of how Daumier worked.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)