Le Septuagénaire, BAL2007.75, En 1828

Author(s): monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer gérard (designer), designer-lithographer other title: songs of béranger (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: laid paper, watercolor dimensions - artwork: height: 15. 2cm width: 22. 5cm dimensions - album: height: 15. 7cm width: 24cm description: colored engraving marks, inscriptions, hallmarks: title of the work - under the image: the septuagenarian inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier author inscription - under the image on the right: lith. Gérard, joinville. Signature - in the image, at the bottom: h. M iconographic description: in a comfortable interior, two men seated in armchairs facing each other are conversing. A dog rests at their feet, while a servant bustles in the background. Illustration of the lyrics of béranger's song "le septuagénaire. " of which here is an extract: "here i am in my seventies. Beautiful title, but heavy to bear; friends, this title that we revere, none of you dares to sing it. While respecting old age, i have studied the old well. Ah! how boring the old people are! in spite of myself i am making them bigger. Ah! how boring the old people are! doing nothing is what they do best. "béranger (1780-1857) is a prolific and extremely popular french songwriter to whom balzac refers in several of his novels. "this worthy gentleman particularly hated priests, he was part of this large herd of simpletons who subscribed to the constitutionnel, and was very concerned about the refusal of burials. He adored voltaire, although his preferences were for piron, vadé, collé. Naturally he admired béranger, whom he ingeniously called the high priest of lisette's religion. His daughters, madame camusot and madame protez, his two sons, would be, according to a popular expression, fallen from their height, if someone had explained to them what their father meant by: singing about mother godichon!” [excerpt from a beginning in life, by honoré de balzac] themes / subjects / places represented: literary scene, dog, old man, domestic interior mode of acquisition: purchase institution: maison de balzac inventory number: bal2007. 75. Date: En 1828.