Notice to connoisseurs.... in case there are any left in France!
Original title: Notice to connoisseurs.... in case there are any left in France!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 25, 1872
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier published this lithograph on 25 May 1872 in the newspaper Le Charivari; it presents a rider as a caricature. Part of the series 'News of the day', the print is in black and white on newsprint and corresponds to the second state of two (Delteil).
Description
A rider with shaggy hair and a pipe in his mouth sits exaggeratedly in the saddle, one hand stretched forward, the other on the horse. Around him crowd figures in wild confusion, arms flailing, suggesting uproar or panic. Dynamic strokes hint at the horse's movement, while the black-and-white printing remains evenly exposed and avoids strong contrasts.
Context
Daumier drew this sheet for the satirical newspaper Le Charivari, known for political and social commentary. The series 'News of the day' took up current events, here the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune. The title ironically alludes to France's situation after the war, in which connoisseurs of the country or of art had become scarce. The lithograph was made in a period of political upheaval and distributed as a mass medium in newspapers.
Impact
Exaggerated proportions and the chaotic bustle give the sheet immediate dynamism and comedy. The even black-and-white print sharpens the satirical tone, and the expressive gestures of the figures appeal directly to the viewer. Humor and criticism combine into a concise historical document.
Technique
The sheet was printed as a lithograph on newsprint, drawn with greasy chalk on the stone and then pulled. Black and white corresponds to the usual process for nineteenth-century newspaper illustrations. The present impression is the second state of two, which attests to later revisions of the printing plate.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)