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
other title: parisian sketches (series title)
date of production: 1827
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, print
name(s): print
materials and techniques: vellum paper, watercolor, lithography
dimensions - artwork:
height: 25. 8cm
width: 35. 4cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 19. 3cm
width: 18. 9cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
plate 10 from the series parisian sketches by henry monnier, 1827, in paris, from imp. Lithog. From delpech, quai voltaire n°3
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription - above the line in the middle: "esquisses parisiennes" and on the right: "10" under the line on the left: "henry monnier" and on the right: "i. Lith. De delpech"
legend - under the image: a protector
iconographic description:
in a richly decorated living room a beautiful young woman sits in a stylish armchair. Two soldiers in uniform are sitting next to her, all their attention is turned towards her. 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 two friends went down to dinner on monday, both dressed for the first visit, the most important of all. La brière had dressed as he was on the famous sunday at church; but he looked at himself like the satellite of a star, and abandoned himself to the chances of his situation. Canalis, for his part, had not neglected the black coat, nor his orders, nor this salon elegance, perfected in his relations with the duchess of chaulieu, his protector, and with the most beautiful people of the faubourg saint-germain, all the minutiae of dandyism, canalis had observed them, while poor la brière was going to show himself in the carelessness of the man without hope. [excerpt from modeste mignon, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, living room, armchair, military (profession)
mode of acquisition: purchase
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal 98-140. Date: 1827.
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