The cloud of ducks obscures the sky so much that poor Europe does not know what road to take, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, October 22, 1867
October 22, 1867
Medium
Lithograph and pen and brown ink on newsprint; third state of four, proof (Delteil)
Dimensions
Image: 9 5/16 × 7 13/16 in. (23.7 × 19.9 cm) Sheet: 13 5/16 × 10 5/8 in. (33.8 × 27 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1956
Accession Number
56.638.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the turbulent political landscape of 1867 Europe, French satirical master Honoré Daumier the era's confusion with this witty lithograph, *The cloud of ducks obsc the sky so much that Europe does not know what to take*. Published in the daily satirical newspaper *Le Charivari* as part of its "News of the day series, the image uses a flock of ducks—likely a playful metaphor for deceptive rumors, politicians, or diplomatic maneuvering—to symbolize how misinformation clouded judgment amid rising tensions leading toward the Franco-Prussian War. Daumier, often collaborating with artists like Dest...
About the Artist
Destouches|Honoré Daumier|Arnaud de Vresse (French|French) · 1808 |1800 –1879 |1900
French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois|Paris