The Convex Petitioner: The Taste of the Day, no. 34 (Le Solliciteur Convèxe: Le Goût du Jour, No. 34)

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, where you'll find *The Convex Petitioner: The of the Day, no 34 (Le Solliciteur Convxe: Le Goût du Jour, No. 34)*, a delightful etching from 1817 attributed to Aaron Martinet or an anonymous French artist. Created during France's Bourbon Restoration era, just after Napoleon's defeat, this hand-colored print captures the whimsical spirit of early 19th-century Parisian satire. Measuring about 11 x 8 inches on the plate, its vibrant hues were meticulously applied by hand, a technique that brought caricatures to life and made them affordable luxuries for the urban middle class. Part of the popular *Le Goût du Jour* series—meaning "The Taste of the Day"—this No. 34 pokes fun at male fashion and social pretensions, with "convex petitioner" likely mocking a portly suitor or dandy whose protruding belly steals the show. French satirical prints like this thrived in post-Revolutionary Paris, blending sharp social commentary with exaggerated humor to lampoon the era's dapper gentlemen and fleeting trends. Etching allowed for intricate lines and expressive details, while hand-coloring amplified the visual punch, making these works both art and accessible entertainment. This piece, gifted through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection in 1975, offers a window into 1817's cultural buzz: a time when caricature bridged high art and street wit, influencing later movements like Realism. Spot the clever distortions—perfect for pondering how fashion reveals society's "taste of the day"!