Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer-lithographer
delpech, françois seraphin (orléans, 1778 - 1825), designer-lithographer
other title: six districts of paris (title of the series)
production date: in 1828
dating in century: 19th century
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: lithography, vellum paper, ink, watercolor
dimensions - artwork:
height: 25cm
width: 33. 4cm
dimensions - image:
height: 16. 1cm
width: 19. 6cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 50cm
width: 40cm
description:
lithograph enhanced with watercolor colors. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
title of the work - under the image: le faubourg st-germain. Inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier / on the right: lith de delpech
iconographic description:
in a living room richly furnished with heavy velvet curtains, marble columns, a vase, sculptures and paintings with rococco frames, a group of people is seated. In the foreground, an elegant lady sits in a gilded armchair, next to her on the ground, a patient doggy style, her muzzle raised. Among the guests we can recognize a prelate and dignitaries dressed in the style of the ancien régime. 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: "then the nobility, compromised in the middle of the shops, abandoned the place royale, the surroundings of the parisian center, and crossed the river in order to be able to breathe at ease in the faubourg saint-germain, where palaces had already risen around the hotel built by louis xiv for the duke of maine, the benjamin of his legitimized. For people accustomed to the splendors of life, is there in fact anything more ignoble than the tumult, the mud, the shouting, the bad smell, the narrowness of the populous streets, are not the habits of a merchant or manufacturing district constantly at variance with the habits of the great? [excerpt from the duchess of langeais, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, dress, noble, dog, priest, saint-germain-des-prés (paris, district), paris
mode of acquisition: purchase
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal96. 14-2. Date: En 1828.
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