Author(s):
monnier, henry bonaventure (paris, 07–06–1799 - paris, 03–01–1877 — 3–6–1877), designer-lithographer
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: ink, vellum paper, lithography, gouache
dimensions - artwork:
height: 23. 2cm
width: 31. 4cm
dimensions - picture:
height: 14. 3cm
width: 20cm
description:
engraving printed in black and white on paper enhanced with gouache. 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 image: pl. 27
legend - in the image, bottom right: the coachmen of the dead and the livingin the image, bottom left: monsieur had nothing. 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:
composition in two sketches. On the left: a couple seen from behind, the wife is stout while the husband is slender. The contrast very accentuated by their clothes (dark and fitted for the husband and frilly white for the wife) is meant to be ridiculous. On the right: another couple playing on contrasts, these are two coachmen. The first drives hearses, he is thin and dressed all in black. The second is the coachman of a rich family, dressed in colorful livery and very overweight. 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: "really, for a romantic woman, there would have been burlesque in the sharp contrast which was noticed between the captain and the count, between this little pole with a narrow face and this handsome soldier, between this paladin and this palatine. " [excerpt from la falsse mistress, by honoré de balzac]
themes / subjects / places represented:
social subject, morals, carriage, mourning
institution: maison de balzac
inventory number: bal91. 71. Date: Unknown.
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