A new theater model, from 'Theater sketches,' published in Le Petit Journal pour Rire, January 30, 1864
January 30, 1864
Medium
Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)
Dimensions
Image: 9 5/16 × 8 11/16 in. (23.6 × 22 cm) Sheet: 17 5/16 × 11 5/8 in. (44 × 29.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962
Accession Number
62.650.375
Tags
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier, the masterful French caricaturist of the 19th century, captures the theatrical world with sharp wit in *A New Theater Model*, from his *Theater Sketches* series. Published on January 30, 1864, in the satirical weekly *Le Petit Journal pourire*, this lithograph Daumier's role as a keen observer of Parisian society during the Second Empire. Known for over 4,000 lithographs skewering politics, class divides, and cultural pretensions, Daumier here likely lampoons innovative—or absurd— theater designs, poking fun at the era's booming entertainment scene amid urban modernization. Re...
About the Artist
Honoré Daumier · 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...