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
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: 26cm
width: 34. 5cm
dimensions - image:
height: 19cm
width: 20. 2cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 30cm
width: 40cm
description:
colored print
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
number - above image: 4. Title of the work - under the image: meditation
inscription concerning the author - in the lower left image: henry monnier
registration concerning the test - in the lower right image: imp. Delpech lith
iconographic description:
two middle-aged men are playing chess. One wears a cap and leans, elbows on the table, towards the game. The other waits until his opponent has played, he crumples a handkerchief between his fingers, straight in his chair, his nose hidden by his collar. 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: "while the gentlemen were busy transporting the fortune saved by the old marquis, a strange scene was happening at the château de gondreville. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the senator and his friend grévin were playing a game of chess in front of the fire, in the large living room on the ground floor. Madame grévin and madame marion were chatting by the fireplace sitting on a sofa. All the people in the castle had gone to see a curious masquerade that had been announced for a long time in the district of arcis. [excerpt from a dark affair, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, game - toy, chess game, old man
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 139. Date: Unknown.
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