"Mr. Judas" from The Complete Works of Béranger

Art Historical Context

"Mr. Judas," a wood engraving from 1836, graces the pages of *The Complete Works of Pierre Jean Béranger*, the renowned French poet and songwriter celebrated for his witty, often subversive lyrics critiquing politics and society. Created by a stellar team of illustrators including caricaturist J. J. Grandville—famed for his fantastical anthropomorphic scenes—Théodore Maurisset and engravers Fournier Perrotin, this print captures the satirical spirit of Béranger era. Titled after the biblical betrayer, it likely skewers contemporary figures of duplicity amid France's July Monarchy, a time of political intrigue following the 1830 Revolution. Wood engraving, the chosen medium, was a 19th-century innovation ideal for detailed book illustrations. By carving end-grain wood blocks, artists achieved sharp lines and textures suitable for mass printing, making high-quality satire accessible to a wide audience. Measuring just 8⅝ × 5½ inches, this intimate sheet exemplifies how prints democratized art, blending Grandville's imaginative flair with Béranger's sharp verse. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, "Mr. Judas" reflects the cultural power of caricature in 1830s France—where humor was a weapon against censorship and a mirror to moral failings. Visitors, imagine flipping through Béranger's volumes: this engraving invites a sly chuckle at history's turncoats.

About the Artist

Fournier & Perrotin|Théodore Maurisset|J. J. Grandville|Pierre Jean de Béranger (French|French|French|French) · |1780 | |1803 – |1857 | |1847

French|French, Paris 1780–1857 Paris|French|French, Nancy 1803–1847 Vanves