Distraction, BAL98-64i, Henry Monnier, 1825

Author(s): monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer villain, françois (buire-au-bois, in 1790 - in 1852), designer-lithographer gihaut frères, publisher other title: general exploitation of the fashions and ridiculousness of paris and london (series title) production date: 1825 dating in century: 19th century type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print name(s): print materials and techniques: lithography, vellum paper, watercolor dimensions - artwork: height: 34. 1cm width: 23. 3cm dimensions - image: height: 21. 4cm width: 14cm description: colored print marks, inscriptions, hallmarks: number - above the image on the right: n°8 caption - below the image: distraction inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier inscription concerning the author - under the image on the right: lith de villain, rue de sèvres, 23. Registration concerning the proof - under the image on the right: chez gihaut frères, publishers iconographic description: a man walks down the street, his nose buried in a book. The extravagant hat he wears is that of a woman, he holds a parasol under his arm. In the background, a housewife runs to meet him with a top hat in her 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: "the jealous fanaticism that art or science inspires was still betrayed in this man by a singular and constant distraction to which his dress and posture testified, in accordance with the magnificent monstrosity of his physiognomy. " [the search for the absolute, by honoré de balzac] themes / subjects / places represented: subject of society, morals, disguise - cross-dressing, book institution: maison de balzac inventory number: bal98-64i. Date: 1825.