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
dimensions - artwork:
height: 15. 3cm
width: 21. 6cm
dimensions - image:
height: 15. 2cm
width: 21. 2cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
newspaper cutout. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
signature - lower left: h. Monnier lower right: h. Monnier
title of the work - at the bottom of the left thumbnail: head of officeat the bottom of the right thumbnail: supernumerary
iconographic description:
composition in two vignettes. On the left side, in a comfortably furnished office, a man is sprawled in his armchair, busy reading. A cabinet is open to his right, it contains bottles and books. On the right side, an employee is at his work table. Leaning over, pen in hand, he works zealously, his writing desk is open. His office is simply furnished. 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: "the supernumerary is to the administration what the altar boy is to the church, what the troop boy is to the regiment, what the rat is to the theater: something naive, candid, a being blinded by illusions. Without the illusion, where would we go? " [the employees, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, office worker, administration
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal 805. Date: Unknown.
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