Plate 39: Robert Macaire business agent, from 'Caricaturana,' published in Les Robert Macaires
Original title: Plate 39: Robert Macaire business agent, from 'Caricaturana,' published in Les Robert Macaires
kurzbeschreibung
Honoré Daumier made this lithograph in 1838, and it places two top-hatted gentlemen face to face on an open street. The sheet belongs to the 'Caricaturana' series and presents the invented businessman Robert Macaire, a satirical embodiment of bourgeois opportunism.
Description
Two men in dark suits and black top hats confront each other on a street. The one on the left looks serious; the one on the right laughs with a comically twisted face. They clasp each other's hands as though deep in conversation. Buildings and a paved path are only suggested. Beneath the figures, a French caption explains the situation.
Context
The 1838 lithograph was made for 'Caricaturana', which appeared in the satirical journal 'Les Robert Macaires'. Daumier invented Robert Macaire as a caricature of the unscrupulous businessman and speculator, drawing on a stage figure. Through this series he criticized the bourgeois society of the July Monarchy and its moral decline.
Impact
The contrast between the serious figure and the laughing one creates an ironic tension that drives home the satire. Sparse detail and clear lines steer the eye toward faces and gestures, so the caricature lands at once.
Technique
Executed as a lithograph on wove paper, the sheet survives in the second state of two (Delteil). Lithography allowed fine lines and shading, which were put to use for the caricatural effect. The image measures 24.3 × 21.8 cm; the sheet is 34.1 × 25.9 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)