Electors, into my arms!..., from 'News of the day,' published in "Le Charivari"

Art Historical Context

Step into the sharp-witted world of Honoré Daumier with *Electors, into my!..., from 'News of the Day,'* published in the satirical French journal *Le Charivari* on March 10, 1869. Daumier, a master caricaturist of 19th-century France, skewered politicians and society through exaggerated figures and biting commentary. This lithograph captures the era's electoral fervor under Napoleon III's Second Empire, the title's rallying cry mocks a politician's opportunistic embrace of voters, evoking the chaotic crowds and rhetorical bombast of public life. Printed as a lithograph on wove paper—the second state of two, as catalogued by Delteil—this medium was Daumier's specialty. Lithography allowed for rapid, expressive reproduction ideal for timely satire, with its greasy crayon lines yielding fluid, dynamic forms. Measuring about 9½ by 8½ inches, the image buzzes with energy, likely featuring crowds and books as symbols of political discourse or empty promises, tags that hint at a teeming scene of democracy in caricature. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Rogers Fund, 1922), this print exemplifies Daumier's enduring legacy in realist caricature, blending humor with social critique. It reminds us how art can lampoon power, inviting visitors to chuckle at history's familiar absurdities.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Arnaud de Vresse|Destouches · 1810–1879

Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor whose works offered incisive commentary on the social and political life of 19th-century France. Known as the 'Michelangelo of Caricature,' Daumier produced over 4,000 lithographs, 500 paintings, 1,000 drawings, and 100 sculptures during his lifetime. His biting political satire led to his imp...