{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O517503"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O517503/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HN6292/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HN6292/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HN6292","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC2940","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O517503/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O517503","accessionNumber":"CAI.122","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"Les trois commères","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This drawing showing three gossip women is emblematical of  Honoré Daumier (1808-79)’s work. The artist was well versed in the workings of lifestyle and theatrical scenes, showing the different social classes in a relevant and humorous way. \r\nDaumier’s expressive faces and compositions reveal his interest for individuality. His career has been deeply marked by his caricatures lithographed in different French newspapers such as <i>La Caricature</i> and <i>Le Charivari</i>. It is not unlikely that this drawing was intended as a preparatory study for an engraving executed in the late 1850s.","physicalDescription":"Three elderly women gossiping between each other, the woman on the left is holding a candle, the one in the centre is praying, teh woman on the right is holding an unidentified object (a cross?). On the top right, a faded profile sketch.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Honoré Daumier","id":"A3169"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"Drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and black ink over black chalk, heightened with white","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HN6292","2017KC2940"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"IONIDES","shelf":"3","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 1850s","earliest":"1855-01-01","latest":"1859-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"164","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"262","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Recto: Lugt 488\r\nverso: Lugt 2503"}],"objectHistory":"C.A. Ionides, by whom bequeathed to the museum in 1900.\r\n","historicalContext":"This drawing depicts a scene of everyday life characterised by a hint of humour and a great attention to details. The linear treatment of the figures is emblematical of Daumier’s vigorous style, and reminiscent of his caricatures for the satirical journal <i>Le Charivari</i>. \r\n\r\nThese three gossiping women are drawn with an accurate realism. We can imagine that the woman on the right side just learnt of a ‘crucial’ information she wants to share with her friends. The two other women obviously overreact in their own way: showing a very surprising face or praying in a desperate attitude. The gravity of the situation is grown by the clenched gesture of the main character. The dramatic atmosphere is clearly inspired by the theatre. \r\n\r\nTwo other versions of the same composition can be found: one in a private collection, Chicago (see Maison 694); and another of whereabouts unknown (see Maison 696). A  watercolour shows a full-length version of the <i>Trois Commères</i> set in a dark staircase (M. Georges Encil collection, Montreal – Maison 697). According to the Bibliothèque nationale de France, all these drawings have been realised as a <i>reprise</i> of the 1852 lithograph published in the series <i>Actualités</i> (sheet 277) of <i>Le Charivari</i>. This engraving represents three women in a staircase talking about the recent earthquake in Bordeaux. \r\nHowever, another lithograph published in <i>Le Charivari</i> entitled <i>La Comète de 1857</i> (ill. 2925 in <i>Le Peintre-Graveur, Honoré Daumier</i> by Loys Delteil) seems to resume exactly the same expressions as in the V&A <i>commères</i>, which could be in fact a preparatory sketch for this late engraving. In this regard, the present drawing could dated in the late 1850s.\r\n\r\nDaumier was most celebrated during his life time for his satirical and anti-monarchist illustrations rather than his paintings and drawings. This sheet is a good example of Daumier’s observation of the French society and social classes. It focuses on his observation and interest for theatrical production. He did a few series of sketches focusing on different categories such as musicians, comedians, art collectors, rustic life, saltimbanques…","briefDescription":"Drawing, 'Les trois commères' by Honoré Daumier, French School, 19th century\r\n","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"K.E. Maison, <u>Honoré Daumier, Catalogue Raisonne of the Paintings, Watercolours and Drawing</u>s, London 1968, vol. II, <u>The Watercolours and  Drawings</u>, London 1968, p.232, cat. no. 695."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"E. Fuchs, <u>Der Maler Daumier</u>, Munich, 1927, cat. no. 208b."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Basil S. Long, <u>Catalogue of the Constantine Alexander Ionides Collection</u>, vol. I, <u>Paintings in Oil, </u><u>Tempera and Water-Colour together with certain of the Drawings</u>, London 1925, p. 16."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CAI.122"],"accessionNumberNum":"122","accessionNumberPrefix":"CAI","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}