"Vocal Concert" from Metamorphoses of the Day 1829

J. J. Grandville made this print, "Vocal Concert", using lithography and stumping, a technique that creates soft gradations of tone, sometime in the 1800s in France. It’s a satirical illustration that uses animal-headed figures to critique the cultural institutions of his time. Looking closely, we see birds and bulls dressed in formal attire, mimicking the conventions of a human musical performance. The animals read musical scores or play instruments, emphasizing the absurd nature of human social rituals when placed in a non-human context. Grandville was working during a time of significant social and political upheaval in France. The institutions of art and culture were often seen as tools of the elite, used to reinforce existing power structures. Grandville's art offers a critique of these institutions by revealing their absurdity. To fully appreciate Grandville's work, we can turn to sources from the period, such as newspapers, political cartoons, and social commentaries. By examining these resources, we can better understand the artist’s social context and the ways in which his art challenged the norms of his time.