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. 4cm
dimensions - image:
height: 17cm
width: 20. 5cm
dimensions - mounting:
height: 50cm
width: 40cm
description:
colored print
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
wet stamp - t. H. : a m and 2 r mirrored in an oval
title of the work - above the work: recreations
caption - in the top left image: a briberyin the top right image: the tenants' reviewin the bottom image: good company
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 on the right: published by giraldon bovinet, passage vivienne, 26. Iconographic description:
composition in three sketches. In the left part at the top: a very plump lady is courted by a seducer who, sitting on a footstool in front of her, seems almost on his knees. He takes her hand, but she pushes him away and leans back in her seat. On the right side at the top: four gossips seated on chairs are deep in conversation. The lower half of the composition is occupied by a long vignette depicting three theater boxes. The left box is occupied by a family: the father with glasses, the mother looking grim and two children, a boy and a girl. In the central box there are three people: a couple made up of a very low-cut woman adorned with jewelry and a man (they stare at each other), as well as an elegant spectator who glances at the box next to hers, on the right. Five people crowd into it, from the bourgeoisie as their outfits suggest (a ribboned hat for a lady and dark, unadorned coats for the men). 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: "monsieur and madame live on a third floor, have only a cook, give balls in a salon of twelve feet by eight, and lit by quinquets, but they give one hundred and fifty thousand francs to their daughter, and rest at fifty, the age at which they begin to appear in the third boxes at the opera, in a cab at longchamp, or in faded dress, every sunny day, on the boulevards, the espalier of these fruiting bodies. " [excerpt from the girl with golden eyes, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
subject of society, morals, lodge, concierge
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 53. Date: Unknown.
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