April Artifact of the Month:
Daumier Print

Written by Amanda Kramp, Assistant Curator of Collections & Exhibits

April 14, 2023

I first came across this print in 2017 when we were preparing for our in-house curated exhibition Art Exposed: Turtle Bay’s Collection. It was an audacious attempt to put every single artwork from Turtle Bay’s permanent collection on exhibit in one gallery – and we did it! There were only a small number of items that didn’t make the cut, but there were about 240 pieces on display! This print intrigued me and has been on my list of items to research ever since. 

When you first look at the old-fashioned figures sketched in caricature form, not much stands out. It appears to be a simple scene. However, it’s the title of the print that draws you in and makes you wonder. Translated from French, it reads, “Ever since Mr. Babinet had announced that the sun might disappear from one moment to the next, the Parisians are taking all necessary precautions, even at mid-day.” Now, look at the print again. You’ll notice that the two characters have lanterns, and the sky is light, not dark, denoting daytime. So, why do they have lanterns in the daytime? Who is Mr. Babinet? And why are the Parisians worried about the sun disappearing? 

In researching this piece, I discovered what a prolific artist Honore Daumier was, creating over 100 sculptures, 500 paintings, 1000 drawings, 1000 wood engravings, and 4000 lithographs in his lifetime! Most of his prints were for satirical news periodicals such as Le Charivari, where he illustrated the day's topics while gently mocking Parisian society with his signature caricatures. One of the victims, or subjects rather, of his wit was Jacques Babinet, an eminent, though mistake-prone, physicist, mathematician, and astronomer of the day. Today he is best known for his contributions to optics. 

During the 19th century, the technical and astounding details of astronomy were filtered to an uneducated public through increasing sources of media. Therefore, celestial predictions had major consequences on the public psyche. For example, Babinet, a charismatic public speaker, gave public lectures on astronomy, once noting that the sun would eventually die. (Which is true, but not for 10 billion years!). With his usual sarcastic wit, Daumier created several cartoons as if Babinet had actually said the sun could completely disappear at any moment and even that Babinet was conspiring to put out the sun himself to verify his prediction!

Turtle Bay Exploration Park is fortunate for the opportunity to share this piece with guests. Learn more about this compelling piece, the man who created it, and the historical context in which it was created on your next visit to the Museum!