Opening night, from 'The difficult moments of life,' published in Le Charivari, May 26, 1864
May 26, 1864
Medium
Lithograph on newsprint; second state of two (Delteil)
Dimensions
Image: 9 1/2 × 8 3/8 in. (24.2 × 21.3 cm) Sheet: 11 13/16 in. × 11 in. (30 × 28 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
62.650.362
Tags
Art Historical Context
Honoré Daumier, the renowned 19th-century French caricist, captures the frenzy of a theater opening night in this lithograph, *Opening Night*, from his series *The Difficult Moments of Life*. Published in the satirical newspaper *Le Charari* on May 26, 1864, it skewers the pretentious chaos of Parisian spectators—eager social climbers crammed into boxes, vying for attention amid the premiere buzz. Daumier's sharp eye for human folly turns a glamorous event into a comedic tableau of exaggerated gestures and social jockeying. Printed on newsprint as a lithograph in the second state of two (per ...
About the Artist
Honoré Daumier|Destouches|Aaron Martinet · 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...