Chimera of the imagination..., published in La Caricature no.118, February 7, 1833
February 7, 1833
Medium
Lithograph; first state of two (Delteil)
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 1/2 × 10 1/2 in. (34.3 × 26.6 cm) Image: 9 7/16 × 7 5/8 in. (24 × 19.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957
Accession Number
57.650.461
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the sharp-witted world of 19th-century French satire with *Chimera of the...*, a lithograph by Honoré Daumier published in *La Caricature* no. 118 on February 7,1833. Daum, a master caricatur, collaborated with printerquet and publisher Aubert Cie to produce this first impression—a rare early proof noted by scholar Loys Delteil. Measuring about 13½ × 10½ inches, the print captures the era's political fervor through exaggerated forms and biting humor, hallmarks of Daumier's style. During the July Monarchy under King Louis-Philippe, *La Caricature* was a bold weekly magazine that skew...
About the Artist
Honoré Daumier|Becquet|Aubert et Cie · 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...