Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer
dating in century: 19th century
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: lithography, vellum paper, watercolor
dimensions - artwork:
height: 35. 7cm
width: 26cm
dimensions - image:
height: 25. 4cm
width: 20cm
description:
print with brown monochrome highlights. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
title of the work - under the images: henry monnier
iconographic description:
seven images forming a composition. In the center, self-portrait of henry monnier, bald, small round glasses, brown coat. In the upper part, a crowd crowding around a designer's drawing board. On the center left, a man with a protruding stomach (monsieur prudhomme?). On the center right, an opulent woman dressed in a dress with wrinkled fabric and a hat. Bottom right, a couple standing, the man places his hand on the waist of a young woman. At the bottom left, a couple stands together, the man behind his partner surrounds her with his arms. In the center at the bottom of the composition, a view of an office empty of its employees, the top hats lying on the tables. Actor, playwright and designer, henry monnier helped illustrate la comédie humaine. His engravings of administrative morals, and especially his play scenes from bureaucratic life, clearly inspired balzac for his novel la femme supérieure, renamed les employés. The same references to the customs of their time often inspired the two artists in parallel on numerous subjects as we can see in the following extract: " -- my god! monsieur de valois, she replied, his mother tells me that he has wit, and he doesn't know how to say two; he always stands before you like a dull person. . -- who doesn't think of anything! cried the registrar of mortgages. Devoares to the chevalier de valois, he added, greeting the gentleman with the emphasis attributed by henri monnier to joseph prud'homme, the admirable type of the class to which the registrar of mortgages belonged. " [excerpt from the old girl, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
self-portrait, artist, couple
person / character depicted:
monnier, henry bonaventure; prud'homme, joseph monsieur (allegory)
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal98. 57. Unknown date
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