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[ta0]

This postcard is on ebay:



It's listed as from WWI, but the artist lived in the 1800's, so I'm not sure if this is correct. The back of the postcard says that it's published by "La Ligue Internationale des Femmes pour la Paix et la Liberté" (the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom). I'm curious about two things. What do they mean by "European Balance"? Also, the top on the sword is a classic Japanese trick: is there a connection or pure coincidence?

[Mermouy]

Hmm not so clear for sure, my guesses, that may be pretty obvious: it's an image of the weakness of peace in these dark ages, maybe the shape of the sword could say more... (this could be a kind of warning from one country using these swords?)

[Jeremy McCreary]

I think the women were threatening to chop up the men's tops with a big sword if the peace and liberty the women were after failed to materialize. Would've gotten my attention.

Or it could have meant that a top spinning on a sword may not have much to do with peace and liberty, but it's still pretty cool. 

[ta0]

I did some research on this.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) developed out of the International Women's Congress against World War I that took place in The Hague, Netherlands, in 1915.  The first WILPF president, Jane Addams, had previously founded the Woman's Peace Party in the United States (won the Nobel peace prize). The movement is still active.
The European Balance (L'Equilibre Européen) was a peace concept that appeared in the 1800's (and earlier) that the European powers could coexist without one being dominant.

Honoré Daumier was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor, whose many works offer commentary on social and political life in France in the 19th century.
I could not find that specific print, but there are two well known with the same title from 1866-1867.

As he produced thousands of works, I was hoping to find one with tops, but no luck so far. I would bet the sword drawing was inspired by a Japanese katana-koma performance.

[Jeremy McCreary]

I did some research on this.

Your explanation's probably better than mine. Thanks for the interesting write-up.

Guessing that art historians must have some pretty powerful digital research tools by now. Would be interesting to set those tools loose on tops in art to the present day.

[Mermouy]

I did some research on this.

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) developed out of the International Women's Congress against World War I that took place in The Hague, Netherlands, in 1915.  The first WILPF president, Jane Addams, had previously founded the Woman's Peace Party in the United States (won the Nobel peace prize). The movement is still active.
The European Balance (L'Equilibre Européen) was a peace concept that appeared in the 1800's (and earlier) that the European powers could coexist without one being dominant.

Honoré Daumier was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor, whose many works offer commentary on social and political life in France in the 19th century.
I could not find that specific print, but there are two well known with the same title from 1866-1867.

As he produced thousands of works, I was hoping to find one with tops, but no luck so far. I would bet the sword drawing was inspired by a Japanese katana-koma performance.

I wasn't so far...

[ta0]

I wrote to "The Daumier Register", an online catalog of Daumier works.
This was their answer:

Thank you for your mail and your interest in Daumier. Your feeling was
absolutely correct. The postcard is a copy of Daumier’s lithograph DR3615.
I enclose  a link for your information:

http://www.daumier-register.org/werkview.php?key=3615

Here you can find all the relevant details about this lithograph. It ist
he ONLY print by Daumier showing  spinning tops. We can offer you the
original for 225 $ in case you might be interested

I guess the subtitle, Japanese Revival, confirms that they are a katana and a koma.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Fascinating stuff.  Thanks for checking into all of this.

[ta0]

By clicking on the background details, it's confirmed:

ABOUT THIS PRINT. During this time in 1867, censorship of the press was relatively mild. Daumier took advantage of this moment to produce some extremely strong anti-Prussian and anti-imperialist lithographs, questioning the stability of the European situation. He already realized the risk of war between European nations to be omni present. In 1867, the Emperor of Japan through pressure from Europe broke the influence of the Shoguns who had been the actual rulers of Japan. A new era began, Japan adopted European technologies and science.

The print depicts European equilibrium, symbolized by a top whirling on the blade of a sabre (influence of the visit of the Japanese shogun's brother in Paris at the 1867 universal exposition). At the same time, a group of Japanese acrobats performed at the Théâtre Impérial and at the Cirque Napoleon.

I'm surprised that this the only print by Daumier with a top, considering how prolific he was and how common tops were at the time.

[Kirk]

Funny, 151 years later, maintaining peace still seems like a trick requiring skill and practice.  I pray that world leaders would work with skill and perseverance to that end.

Perhaps Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin should come to Miamisburg.  I can think of several others that should join us.

[jim in paris]

high all !

I discover this story after 5 days in the wild...
very cool investigation , Jorge !
do you think that we could buy the thing for 225 ?
if the seller is in europe I can do it right away ,
tell me by MP what you think
i'll try and call cyril to nite to see what he thinks

jim

[jim in paris]

Cyril says hello  ! 
of course he has this print , in several versions :colored , sépia, black and white
(background story of a Japanese delegation at the 1867 Universal Exposition in Paris confirmed)

jim