How can the building be restored, if the workers are fighting between each other!, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
Original title: How can the building be restored, if the workers are fighting between each other!, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier takes up a workers' quarrel that tips into violence in this 1872 lithograph. The sheet belongs to the series Nachrichten des Tages (News of the Day) and appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari; it is printed in black and white on newsprint, in the second of two states.
Description
Workers fall on one another with hammers and clubs. Several men have already gone down, while others fend off blows on their feet. A dark, barely articulated ground throws the brawlers into relief. The layout is deliberately lopsided, heightening the sense of unrest and ferocity. Everything is drawn in the caricatural manner customary for Le Charivari.
Context
The print was made in 1872, shortly after the Franco-Prussian War and in the early years of the Third Republic. Its caption mocks the difficulties of rebuilding while political and social divisions tore the country apart. Le Charivari was a widely known satirical paper in which Daumier regularly commented on politics and society.
Impact
The raging fight hits the viewer without warning and feels close to chaos. Because the figures are exaggerated in caricature, the events take on a satirical edge that exposes the pointlessness of the situation. The sheet invites reflection on the consequences of discord and strife.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on newsprint: one draws with greasy chalk on the stone and then prints from it. This is the second of two states (Delteil). The process allowed fine detail at high print runs, which was crucial for distribution in a journal like Le Charivari.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)