Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer
delpech, françois seraphin (orléans, 1778 - 1825), printer-lithographer
production date: around 1828
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: vellum paper, watercolor, lithography
dimensions - artwork:
height: 25. 6cm
width: 34. 2cm
dimensions - image:
height: 18cm
width: 22cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
colorful print. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription - under the line on the left: "hri monnier" and on the right: "i. Lith. De delpech"
caption - under the image: a fashionable evening
iconographic description:
a games table is installed in the back room of a plush living room. In the light of an oil lamp, two participants play cards, several observers surround them. In an adjacent room, other guests are gathered. 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 fly is a game which is played with five cards and with a flip. The flip determines the trump. At each move, the player is free to take the chances or to abstain. By abstaining, he only loses his stake, because, as long as there are no returns to the basket, each player bets a low sum. When playing, the player is required to make a raise which is paid in proportion to the bet, if there are five cents in the basket, the raise is worth one penny. The player who does not make a raise is placed on the fly: he then owes the whole stake, which increases the basket on the next move. They are placed in the basket one after the other in order of capital. Move, but they are considered void. The cards of the pile are exchanged, as in the discarded order of primacy. Each takes as many cards as he wants, so that the first in cards and the second can absorb the pile between them. The turn belongs to the one who distributes the cards, who is then the last, and to whom the turn belongs; he has the right to exchange it for one of the cards in his game. A terrible card trumps all the others, it is called mistigris. Mistigris is the jack of clubs. This game, excessively simple, does not lack interest. The greed natural to man develops there as well as the diplomatic finesse and the games of physiognomy. " [excerpt from béatrix, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, card game
mode of acquisition: purchase
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal 98-142. Date: Vers 1828.
Loading...
