Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer
bernard, charles louis (paris, 29–06–1769 - paris, 11–09–1848), printer-lithographer
giraldon-bovinet, editor
other title: les grisettes (title of the series)
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: 30cm
width: 22cm
dimensions - image:
height: 13. 2cm
width: 9cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 40cm
width: 30cm
description:
plate 20 from the series "les grisettes" by henry monnier, paris, giraldon et bovinet, 1827
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription - above the image on the left: "grisettes" and on the right: "pl. 20" under the image on the left: "henry monnier" and on the right: "lith. De bernard" under the letter in the middle: "published by giraldon bovinet, passage vivienne, n°26"
legend - under the image: monsieur wants to have his coffee
iconographic description:
a couple exchanges a few words. The man is bareheaded, in his hand he is perhaps holding his hat unless it is an object (coffee grinder? metal container?). The young woman seems challenged by his words. 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: "clémentine examined the captain with one of those sly glances which announce both astonishment and observation in women. Also, during the time when the three of them had coffee in the living room, there reigned a rather embarrassing silence for adam, unable to guess why. Clementine was no longer annoying thaddeus, for his part, the captain resumed his military rigidity and never left her side, neither during the journey nor in the lodge where he pretended to sleep. [excerpt from la falsse mistress, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, grisette
mode of acquisition: purchase
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal 98-93. Date: 1827.
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