Intérieur d'un Office -The Pantry, BAL2013.28, En 1827

Author(s): monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer senefelder et cie, designer-lithographer production date: in 1827 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: 20. 5cm width: 28cm description: colored print marks, inscriptions, hallmarks: title of the work - under the image: interior of an office/the pantry author inscription - below the image on the right: senefelder lith. Inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier iconographic description: the scene takes place in the pantry of a large residence, a kitchen assistant and a valet binge and get drunk while the masters dine in an adjacent room. The valet drinks a bottle of wine from the neck, two others are placed on the ground, empty. The clerk devours round buns. 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: "- ah! that, father fourchon, about the outfit?. Eh! you are going to speak to madame, said charles, noticing a fairly large quantity of flaming ruby ​​on the old man's nose and cheeks. Of a bottle or two of spanish wine, i will say three words to you which will save you from receiving a dance. . . -- say? and françois will have the gentleman's order to give you a glass of wine, replied the footman. -- is it said?-- it is said" [excerpt from les paysans, by honoré de balzac] themes / subjects / places represented: social subject, morals, young girl, servant, alcohol, bottle, basket mode of acquisition: purchase institution: maison de balzac inventory number: bal2013. 28. Date: En 1827.