Look, but don't touch!, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, August 25, 1871
August 25, 1871
Medium
Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)
Dimensions
Image: 10 1/4 × 8 11/16 in. (26.1 × 22.1 cm) Sheet: 11 9/16 × 11 9/16 in. (29.3 × 29.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.622.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Look, but Don't Touch!** (1871) is a sharp satirical lithograph by Honoré Daumier the renowned French caricaturist whose incisive prints filled the pages of *Le Charivari*, a leading Parisian satirical newspaper. Published on August 25 amid the turbulent aftermath of the Franco-Prussian and the Paris Commune, work from the "News of the Day" series Daumier's signature bite. The title evokes a playful yet pointed warning, likely poking fun at political spectators—men gathered around flags—who are urged to observe but not interfere in France's fragile new Third Republic. Daumier's mastery of l...
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...