"Having said that, this poor invalid gives us a curtsy, and goes hobbling off" from Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals

Art Historical Context

This wood engraving, titled *"Having said that, this poor invalid us a curtsy, goes hobbling off" captures a whimsical moment from the satirical book *Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals* (ca. 1837–47). A collaborative gem, it pairs Honoré de Balzac's prose—known for his realist novels like *La Comédie humaine*—with the fantastical illustrations of J.J. Grandville, a master of caricature. Andrew Best Leloir likely contributed to the engraving process. Grandville's anthropomorphic animals poke fun at human follies, here depicting a pitiful, limping figure offering a courteous curtsy before hobbling away, blending pathos with humor. Created during France's July Monarchy, when satire flourished amid social upheaval, the print exemplifies 19th-century caricature's role in critiquing society. Wood engraving, the medium here (sheet: 10¼ × 7⅜ in.), allowed intricate details and affordable mass reproduction, making such works accessible to a wide audience via books and periodicals. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Elisha Whittelsey Collection, 1959), this piece highlights Grandville's enduring influence on visual satire, from Victorian cartoons to modern animation, inviting viewers to chuckle at our own awkward graces.

About the Artist

Honoré de Balzac|J. J. Grandville|Andrew Best Leloir (French|French) · 1799 |1803 –1850 |1847

French, Tours 1799–1850 Paris|French, Nancy 1803–1847 Vanves