Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer
gaugain, henri-armand pierre, designer-lithographer
dating in century: 19th century
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: lithography, paper, ink, watercolor
dimensions - artwork:
height: 26. 7cm
width: 35. 4cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 17cm
width: 16cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 50cm
width: 40cm
description:
lithograph printed on paper and enhanced with watercolor. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
number - top right of image: "pl 21"
inscription concerning the author - at the bottom of the image: "h monnier/ imp. Lith de h. Gaugain"
title of the work - under the image: "bourgeois comedy. /(the marriage of figaro. )"
registration concerning the test - under the title: "in paris at h. Gaugain & cie rue vivienne n°2 and at e. Ardit rue d ela monnaie n°11. "
iconographic description:
two women, including an imposing matron and a laughing young girl, are seated on a sofa in the center of a stage between two curtains. They are dressed in puffy dresses and hairstyles trimmed with ribbons and flowers. A young man dressed like a page stands in front of them, his hat in his hand. 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: "was the comedy of the badly guarded girl played out, there as everywhere and as always, without these honest bartholos, these devoted spies, these vigilant pyrenees dogs, having been able to sniff out, guess, see the lover, the intrigue, the smoke from the fire? this was not the result of a challenge between guards and a prisoner, between the despotism of the dungeon and the freedom of the prisoner, but the eternal repetition of the first scene played at the raising of the curtain of creation: eve in paradise who, now, the mother or the guard dog was right? [extract from modeste mignon, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, young girl
person / character represented:
figaro (literary character)
acquisition method: manual donation
name of donor, testator, seller: society of friends of balzac and the maison de balzac
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal 89. 102. Unknown date
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