← Honoré Daumier

The Charivari is proposing a new kind of bell which should remind the Assembly that some of the territories still need to be liberated, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"

Original title: The Charivari is proposing a new kind of bell which should remind the Assembly that some of the territories still need to be liberated, from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"

Artist

Honoré Daumier

Date

June 13, 1872

Medium

Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)

Dimensions

Image: 9 3/16 × 8 3/8 in. (23.3 × 21.3 cm) Sheet: 11 1/8 × 9 9/16 in. (28.3 × 24.3 cm)

Credit line

Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957

kurzbeschreibung

Honoré Daumier's 1872 lithograph is a satirical piece from the series 'Neues des Tages', published in the journal 'Le Charivari'. A helmet with a tall, pointed steel spike and a penholder rest on a tabletop; a hand entering from the right points at the helmet. The print comments on the situation in France after the Franco-Prussian War.

Description

A tabletop anchors the picture. On it sit a helmet topped by a high, pointed steel spike and a penholder. A hand reaches in from the right and indicates the helmet, steering the viewer's eye there. A slightly open door behind gives the space some depth. Black and white, with the clear, finely detailed linework typical of Daumier. The layout stays spare, built around the interplay of hand and helmet.

Context

The lithograph appeared on 13 June 1872, when France was still grappling with the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune. Daumier regularly published political caricatures in 'Le Charivari', a satirical paper known for its critical commentary. The title alludes to the demand that territories still occupied by German troops after the war be liberated. For Daumier, lithography was a way to bring political messages to a broad public.

Impact

The stripped-down arrangement and the hand's direct pointing gesture pull attention to the central motif. The contrast between military helmet and penholder creates a quiet irony that invites reflection. The sober, precise rendering underlines the seriousness of the subject.

Technique

Lithography on newsprint allowed for fast, inexpensive printing. This is the second state of two, as recorded in the Delteil catalogue. The process yields delicate lines and shading, visible in the details of the helmet and the hand.

AI-generated description text

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