Plate 46: Theatrical agent, from 'Caricaturana,' published in Les Robert Macaires

Art Historical Context

This lithograph, created in 1838 by Honoré Daumier and published by Aubert et Cie, forms Plate 46 of the celebrated series *Les Robert Macaires*, also known as *Caricaturana*. Daumier, a master of social satire in nineteenth-century France, employed the lithographic medium on wove paper to produce affordable, widely circulated prints that captured the era’s follies. The sheet depicts a theatrical agent, rendered with the artist’s characteristic economy of line and expressive exaggeration. The *Robert Macaires* series drew from popular theater to lampoon opportunistic figures in French society, from financiers to entertainers. By focusing on a theatrical agent, Daumier highlighted the commercial underside of the performing arts during the July Monarchy, when rapid urbanization and expanding print culture made such characters familiar targets of humor. Lithography’s ability to reproduce bold contrasts and lively details allowed these images to reach a broad audience through newspapers and albums. Today, this impression in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection preserves Daumier’s sharp observation of human types. Its modest dimensions belie the print’s lasting cultural resonance as both entertainment and subtle social commentary.

About the Artist

Honoré Daumier|Junca|Aubert et Cie|Aubert et Cie|Charles Philipon · 1810–1879

Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) was a prolific French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor whose works offered incisive commentary on the social and political life of 19th-century France. Known as the 'Michelangelo of Caricature,' Daumier produced over 4,000 lithographs, 500 paintings, 1,000 drawings, and 100 sculptures during his lifetime. His biting political satire led to his imp...