Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer-lithographer
delpech, françois seraphin (orléans, 1778 - 1825), printer
other title: yesterday & today (series title)
dating in century: 19th century
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: lithography, laid paper, watercolor
dimensions - artwork:
height: 23cm
width: 28. 9cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 16. 6cm
width: 15. 1cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
colored print
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
title of the work - above the image: today
legend - under the image: the toilet
inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier
registration concerning the test - under the image on the right: i. Lith de delpech
iconographic description:
three young women are seated in a charming boudoir furnished with a small bed, loveseats, sconces, frames, and a hanging. A hairdresser is decorating the hair of one of them with ribbons. 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 street was full of people rushing to see the daughter of the sauviats, to whom the most renowned hairdresser of limoges had placed on her beautiful hair the bridal crown, and a veil of the highest priced english lace. Véronique was simply dressed in white muslin. " [excerpt from the village priest, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, hairstyle, hairdresser, young girl, ribbon
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 106. Unknown date
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