Plate 20: To anyone with capital to lose, from 'Caricaturana,' published in Les Robert Macaires
Medium
Lithograph on wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 9 7/16 × 8 3/8 in. (23.9 × 21.2 cm) Sheet: 13 7/16 × 10 3/16 in. (34.2 × 25.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1953
Accession Number
53.693.11
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1838, French caricaturist Honoré Daumier contributed this sharp satire, *Plate 20: To with capital to lose*, *Caricaturana*, a series in *Les Robert Mac* by Charles Philipon printed by Aubert et Cie Daumier, a master of 19th-century political and social commentary, drew from the infamous duo of Robert Macaire—a cunning swindler—and his sidekick Bertrand, popularized in a 1834 play. Under King Louis-Philippe's July Monarchy, such prints in journals like *Le Charivari* lampooned corruption, greed, and the bourgeoisie, often skirting censorship through clever allegory. Rendered as a lithograph on wove paper, the work showcases Daumier's virtuoso technique: fluid lines and expressive exaggeration allowed mass reproduction, making satire accessible to the public. Measuring about 9½ by 8⅜ inches, its compact scale belied its biting critique, likely targeting fraudulent financiers preying on investors with the ironic come-on in the title. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1953), this piece exemplifies how Daumier's art fueled public discourse on economic folly, blending humor with social reform in an era of rapid industrialization and financial speculation. A timeless reminder: buyer beware!
About the Artist
Junca|Honoré Daumier|Aubert et Cie|Aubert et Cie|Charles Philipon (French|French) · 1831 |1813 –1839 |1873
|French (born Italy), Rome 1813–1873 Bourron-Marlotte