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), designer-lithographer
giraldon and bovinet, editor
other title: recreation (series title)
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: 23cm
width: 31. 5cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 14. 2cm
width: 15. 2cm
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: recreations
number - above the image on the right: pl. 22
legend - in the image, at the bottom: a poor devil pays for her boots. Inscription concerning the author - under the image on the left: henry monnier under the image on the right: lith de bernard
registration concerning the test - under the image: published by giraldon bovinet, passage vivienne, n°26. Iconographic description:
several pairs of boots are lined up on the ground. A servant, his waist wrapped in an apron and a broom under his arm, leads a sheepish-looking man towards the exit, holding his hat and a note in his hand. 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: "-- look, sir, nanon said to him, the pretty boots that your nephew has. What leather, and which smells good. What can it be cleaned with? should you put your egg shoe polish on it? -- nanon, i think the egg would spoil that leather. Besides, tell him that you don't don't know how to polish morocco, yes, it's morocco, he'll buy it himself in saumur and bring you something to illustrate his boots. I heard that they put sugar in their shoe polish to make it shiny. -- so it's good to eat, said the servant, holding the boots to her nose, they smell like madame's eau de cologne. -- funny! master, you find it funny to put more money on boots than the person wearing them is worth. " [excerpt from eugénie grandet, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, boot
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 67. Date: Unknown.
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