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Les Vendeurs de L'époque from Actualités

Creator Honoré Daumier (French, 1808 - 1879)

Date1845

Mediumlithograph on paper

DimensionsOverall (sheet): 34.7 x 22.9 cm (13 11/16 x 9 in.)

Credit LineGift of R.W. Finlayson, 1969, Donated by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1988

Category

Prints

Object numberL69.69

ProvenanceAs a caricaturist working for illustrated journals, it is not surprising to find a selection of Daumier’s prints dealing with the distribution and audience of French newspapers. In the second quarter of the nineteenth century, a growing number of journals tried to sell copies of their papers by sending out sellers on the streets. The income most newspapers received through subscribers was moderate; hence, sending sellers around in active neighborhoods and shops was a means by which the office could earn extra money. Here, Daumier shows two male sellers from L’époque discussing their sales for the day. Daumier informs the viewer of the outcome through the facial expression of the figures. One is bitter because he has not been able to sell a single copy, while the other readily reveals that he only has one more copy to give away.

LocationNot currently on display

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