Honoré Daumier, A Last Bath! \. Royal Library of France, 1800s, Prints, Set of 4

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Set of four humorous french lithographs - 19th century – with marks from the bibliothèque royale de france. A set … Read more Set of four humorous french lithographs - 19th century – with marks from the bibliothèque royale de france. A set of four black and white lithographs on paper, french, from the first half of the 19th century, depicting humorous, satirical, and cultural scenes, fitting within the graphic universe of french caricature from the july monarchy period. The four compositions present figures treated with great expressive vivacity, use of fine lines, shading, and line crossings, exploring episodes of daily life, social relations, human behavior, and situations with evident caricatural intent. The set is of particular interest due to the presence, on different sheets, of circular marks “b.r.” surmounted by a crown, observed in photographs in contact with the printed area itself. These marks are consistent with the stamps held by the former bibliothèque royale de france. The bibliothèque nationale de france itself documents that, from 1833 onwards, during the july monarchy, the stamping of collections became widespread, with prints and drawings also beginning to receive institutional property marks; the bibliothèque royale regulation of march 26, 1833, expressly stipulated the stamping of documents entering the institution. One of the four lithographs could be securely identified through the inscriptions preserved on the sheet. This is “un dernier bain!”, corresponding to plate no. 2 of the sentimens et passions series, published in le charivari on june 7, 1840, based on a composition by honoré victorin daumier (1808–1879). The copy cataloged by the hood museum of art presents precisely the same editorial references observable in the piece: “sentiments et passions.” at the top, plate number, initials “h.d.” on the stone, the inscription reads “chez bauger r. Du croissant 16.”, the reference “imp. D’aubert & c.ie” and the title un dernier bain! on the bottom margin. The printing is attributed to imprimerie d’aubert & cie, paris, with chez bauger & cie, paris, as publisher. In this composition, daumier constructs a scene of dark humor and social criticism: an extremely elongated male figure leans dramatically over the edge of a quay or platform, while a heavy suspended object accentuates the narrative tension of the scene. In the background appears a small figure and a barely sketched urban landscape. The work fully belongs to the universe of parisian social satire cultivated by daumier and le charivari, with the museum specimen itself classified in thematic areas such as caricature, social satire, urban life and humor. A second lithograph depicts a woman in folk dress, with a cap and long dress, surrounded by several dogs, some standing and others sitting or lying down. The character holds a stick in one hand and extends the other in a gesture of reprimand or instruction, creating a scene that is simultaneously narrative and humorous. The multiplicity of the animals' attitudes, the contrast between the character's solemnity and the dogs' apparent indiscipline, and the expressiveness of the gestures give the composition a markedly satirical character. Inscriptions, typographical elements, a graphic signature, and a circular ownership mark are preserved in the lower area of ​​the sheet. A third composition presents an interior scene with a man and a woman in a close and dialogic relationship. The female figure, in a long dress, stands before a seated male figure, in a scene treated with the graphic elegance characteristic of nineteenth-century french illustration. The framing includes elements of furniture and domestic environment, but maintains the focus on body language and the relationship between the characters, revealing the narrative and observational dimension typical of scenes of customs. The fourth lithograph also represents a domestic scene, with figures gathered around a table. The characters appear leaning and close to each other, in a conversational or sharing attitude, with pronounced dynamism in their body positions and clothing. The interior is constructed through furniture, a chair, a table, architectural elements, and small objects, with the space defined mainly by the interplay of light, shadow, and the crossing of lines. The composition has an intimate and humorous, almost theatrical character, based more on the expression and interaction of the figures than on the meticulous of the setting. Typographical inscriptions, numbering, signatures or monograms, printing and editing references, circular stamps, and dry embossed marks are also observed on the different pages. Some of these inscriptions are partially hidden by the mountings or show wear due to age, yet they still constitute relevant elements for the bibliographic and documentary study of the collection. The presence of these old marks should be preserved, since the national library of spain itself points out that ownership marks, quotations, and historical signs are integral to the material and institutional history of the documents. The four lithographs are presented in uniform, straight, and sober gilded wooden frames with a rounded inner frame and aged gilded finish, revealing shades of gold, brown, and red under the natural wear of the surface. The wide ivory-toned borders allow for a balanced reading of the compositions and provide great visual coherence to the set when displayed together. The reverse sides retain old cardboard and paper mountings, fixed by small nails, as well as metal hardware for suspension. On more than one of the pieces, blue stamps from an old workshop or framing establishment are visible, as well as remnants of adhesives, mounting marks, creases, and signs typical of old interventions. These elements have been preserved and photographically documented, being relevant to the material history of the pieces and should not be confused with recent interventions. The state of conservation is consistent with their age: slight yellowing and natural oxidation of the paper, while maintaining good legibility of the images, inscriptions, and marks. Due to the combination of the four compositions, the uniformity of the frames, the representative character of 19th-century french satire and caricature, the documentary identification of un dernier bain! with the circle of honoré daumier, le charivari, aubert and bauger, and above all the presence of the crowned ownership marks “b.r.”, the set presents artistic, historical, bibliographic and collectible interest, surpassing a merely decorative function. France, first half of the 19th century, c. 1840. Black lithograph on paper. Four copies. Framed. Dimensions: 29 × 22 cm each. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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