Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer
bernard, charles louis (paris, 29–06–1769 - paris, 11–09–1848), printer-lithographer
giraldon-bovinet, editor
other title: les grisettes (title of the series)
date of production: 1827
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: vellum paper, watercolor, lithography
dimensions - artwork:
height: 27. 8cm
width: 21cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 13. 8cm
width: 9cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
plate 26 from the series "les grisettes" by henry monnier, paris, giraldon et bovinet, 1827
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription - above the image on the left: "grisettes" and on the right: "pl. 26" under the image on the left: "henry monnier" and on the right: "lith. De bernard" under the letter in the middle: "published by giraldon bovinet, passage vivienne, n°26"
caption - under the image: you're still a good child to get attached
iconographic description:
two young women stand facing each other. The one on the left looks down, arms dangling on her apron. The one on the right, wearing a hat trimmed with ribbons, extends her hands towards her companion to, undoubtedly, comfort her. 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: "-- and then, my friend, continued canalis, all these women, even when they are sincere, they have an ideal, and you rarely respond to it. They do not say to themselves that the poet is a rather vain man, as i am accused of being; they never imagine what a man is like when mistreated by a kind of agitation feverish which makes him unpleasant, changeable; they always want him to be tall, always handsome; they never think that talent is an illness; that nathan lives with florine, that d'arthez is too fat, that béranger goes very well on foot, that the god can have the pituit, a poet and a pretty boy, and why then go looking for nasty compliments, and receive the cold showers that a woman's dazed gaze pours out. Disillusioned? "[excerpt from modeste mignon, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, grisette
mode of acquisition: purchase
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal 98-99. Date: 1827.
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