Following His Wife
Honore Daumier (1808-79), Following his Wife, lithograph, plate 35 from the series Moeurs Conjugales, 1841, published in 1843 in the Album Moeurs Conjugales, Daumier Register 658, third state (of 4). In good condition, a sur blanc impression, on wove paper, matted. 8.3 x 7.4 inches
A very good impression.
Explanation and translation from the Daumier Register:
On a trial proof of this print (which can be seen in the Dreyfus Collection) Daumier wrote underneath the image: “un mari qui decouvre sa femme en tete–tete dans un fiacre”. [a husband who discovers his wife in a tete a tete in a carriage.] The editor Goulet sent the copy on to the texter Jaime, who in turn incorporated Daumier’s text in his own, which was consequently published.
Original Text:
Ah tres bien j’en suis sur! malheureuse, v’ la une heure que je te guette……Ah! j’en suis sur!.. et, ce soir, tu me feras payer trois heures de course!
Translation:
Ah! Now I am sure of it! Wretched woman….. I have been following you for more than an hour! Ah, I knew it!…. and on top of this, you will make me [pay] this evening for a three hour ride.