Plate 3: Robert Macaire, journalist, from 'Caricaturana,' published in Le Charivari, September 10, 1836
September 10, 1836
Medium
Lithograph on newsprint; second state of three (Delteil)
Dimensions
Image: 8 9/16 × 10 1/2 in. (21.8 × 26.7 cm) Sheet: 10 1/16 × 12 5/16 in. (25.5 × 31.3 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
53.693.27
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This lithograph, Plate 3 from Honoré Daumier’s celebrated “Caricaturana” series, captures the cunning figure of Robert Macaire posing as a journalist. Created in collaboration with publisher Charles Philipon and printed by Aubert et Cie, the work appeared in the satirical French newspaper Le Charivari on September 10, 1836. Daumier, a master of the medium, used bold, expressive lines and exaggerated features to lampoon the opportunistic characters thriving under the July Monarchy. The Robert Macaire series became one of the most influential visual satires of its era, exposing corruption in journalism, finance, and politics through a single memorable anti-hero. By circulating affordable prints in the popular press, Daumier reached a wide audience and helped shape public discourse at a time when caricature was both entertainment and subtle political resistance. Printed on newsprint in the second state of three, this lithograph exemplifies how the medium allowed rapid production and wide distribution. Today it stands as a vivid record of 19th-century social critique and Daumier’s enduring gift for turning everyday observation into biting commentary.
About the Artist
Aubert et Cie|Junca|Honoré Daumier|Charles Philipon (French|French|French) · 1808 |1829 |1829 –1879 |1929 |1929
French, Marseilles 1808–1879 Valmondois| |