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, watercolor, laid paper
dimensions - artwork:
height: 23. 1cm
width: 28. 8cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 15cm
width: 15. 3cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
colored print
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
wet stamp - t. H. : monogram a m and 2 r next to each other?
title of the work - above the image: today
legend - under the image: a walk
registration concerning the test - under the image on the right: i. Lith de delpech
inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier
iconographic description:
in a public garden enjoyed by a crowd of walkers, adults and children, an elegant young woman is courted by a young man dressed in a military uniform. Behind the couple stands a man in livery, the young lady's chaperone perhaps? 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: "she refused to give her arm to her chaperone for fear of being questioned about the inner trembling which agitated her at the thought of soon seeing her great poet. Wasn't a single look, the first, going to decide her future? is there in a man's life a more delicious hour than that of the first meeting?" [excerpt from modeste mignon, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, park, military (profession), young girl
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 114. Unknown date
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