"What do you think of the expedition?" from Metamorphoses of the Day

Art Historical Context

Created in 1829 by French illustrator J.J. Grandville and printed by Langlumé, “What do you think of the expedition?” belongs to the series *Metamorphoses of the Day*. This hand-colored lithograph exemplifies the witty animal fables that made Grandville famous during the final years of the Bourbon Restoration. Using the relatively new medium of lithography, the artist could reach a broad audience with affordable, vividly tinted prints that blended sharp observation with playful fantasy. The scene features dogs, lions, and birds engaged in human conversation, a hallmark of Grandville’s satirical approach. By dressing animals in contemporary dress and placing them in everyday situations, he gently lampooned social pretensions and political events of his day. The small sheet—barely larger than a postcard—invites close looking, rewarding viewers with tiny expressive details that still feel fresh nearly two centuries later. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work reminds us how caricature and humor have long served as mirrors to society, turning everyday animals into timeless commentators on human folly.