Honoré Victorin Daumier. 1808-1879.
Le défenseur de Calas consolé de n'avoir pu défendre Bailly, André Chénier et Camille Desmoulins.
(The defender of Calas consoled by not being able to defend Bailly, André Chenier and Camille Desmoulins..)
1871. Lithograph. Delteil 3864.ii/ii (with letters). 10 1/8 x 9 (sheet 11 3/4 x 10 1/2). Series: Actualités, (News of the Day), plate 356. Published in Le Charivari April 16, 1871. Vertical and horizontal folds; sheet trimmed. Initialed in the stone, lower left. This is a one of Daumier's very notable images. $350.
Bailly, Chénier, and Desmoulins were guillotined. Voltaire (1694-1778) was unable to defend them successfully; consequently Dumier pictures his statue applauding the members of the Commune as they burn the guillotine.
Jean Calas (1698-1762), Calvinist, was sentenced to death; but was spared due to Voltaire's efforts.
Jean Sylvain Bailly (1736 – 1793), scientist and politician, was guillotined in 1793.
André de Chenier, (1762-1794) poet, was guillotined in 1794.
To order, to request more information or to be placed on the email list, contact Jane Allinson (allinson@earthlink.net) or fax(860) 429-2825.