Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer
delpech, françois seraphin (orléans, 1778 - 1825), designer-lithographer
other title: little human delights (title of the series)
dating in century: 19th century
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: vellum paper, watercolor, lithography
dimensions - artwork:
height: 22. 4cm
width: 28. 9cm
dimensions - image:
height: 16. 7cm
width: 15. 8cm
description:
colored print
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
title of the work - above the image: little human felicities
legend - under the image: childhood. Dinettes, toys, candy, dressing up. Inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier under the image on the right: i. Lith de delpech
iconographic description:
in a living room richly furnished with gilded frames, heavy hangings, a clock and armchairs, a group of children are having fun under the eyes of three adults. The two ladies observe the scene and a man, sitting on the ground, has a small child try on pants. A little girl holds a doll. 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: "jeanne first saw faintly, and as if in the distant light of dawn, the modest castle where her carefree childhood was spent: it was indeed the green lawn, the fresh stream, the little room, scene of her first games. She saw herself picking flowers, planting them, and not guessing why all of them were faded without growing, despite her constant watering, the immense city and the large hotel, blackened by the time where her mother took her at the age of seven, soon appeared vaguely again. [excerpt from the cursed child, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, child, game - toy, doll, domestic interior
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 91. Unknown date
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