Monsieur a dîné , BAL91.49, Henry Monnier

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: 23. 1cm width: 31. 3cm dimensions - image: height: 13. 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 caption - in the image, at the bottom: monsieur has dined? number - above the image on the right: pl. 38 inscription concerning the author - under the image on the right: lith de bernardunder the image on the left: henry monnier registration concerning the test - under the image: published by giraldon bovinet, passage vivienne, n° 26 iconographic description: six guests are seated at the table. Dressed as bourgeois and all plump, except for a young woman with a slim waist, they are in the middle of a meal, knives in hand. At the end of the table on the left, a matron gestures to ask for silence. At the end of the table on the right, a man sits back, his top hat on his knees, he is not participating in the meal. A little dog begs near its mistress. 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: "-- don't laugh, félix, nothing is more true. Punishments that are too harsh exaggerate the play of the great sympathetic. This exaltation of sensitivity keeps the mucous membrane of the stomach in constant irritation. If this state persists, it brings initially insensible disturbances in the digestive functions: the secretions deteriorate, the appetite becomes depraved and the digestion becomes capricious: soon poignant pains appear, worsen and become more frequent day by day; then the disorganization reaches its peak as if some slow poison were mixed with the food bolus; dear !" [excerpt from the lily in the valley, by honoré de balzac] themes / subjects / places represented: social subject, morals, meals, dog institution: maison de balzac inventory number: bal91. 49. Date: Unknown.