Jésus! Il vient de me passer une bête...

Art Historical Context

**Jésus! Il vient de passer une bête...***Paul Gavarni, 1842* Hand-colored lithograph on w paper Step into the bustling streets of 1840s Paris with Paul Gavarn *Jésus! Il vient me passer une bête... (1842), a hand-colored lithograph brimming with the artist's signature wit. Gavarni (1804–1866), a leading French caricatur, captured the quirks of Parisian life in magazines like *Le Charivari*, blending sharp social observation with lively vignettes of everyday folk—from workers to flâneurs. Created during the July Monarchy, this print reflects a era of rapid urbanization and class tensions, where lithography democratized art for a wide audience. The exclamatory title—"Jesus! He just passed me a beast..."—evokes colorful street slang, likely alluding to an itchy mishap like fleas, a nod to the gritty humor of lower-class life. Gavarni's mastery of lithography on wove paper allowed precise lines and tones, while hand-coloring added vibrant, artisanal flair, elevating affordable prints to collectible gems. At just 19.8 × 15.6 cm, its intimate scale invites close viewing of expressive faces and dynamic poses. A gift to the National Gallery of Art in memory of Alan Ostrow, this work showcases Gavarni's role in 19th-century graphic satire, preserving the pulse of Paris for modern eyes.

About the Artist

Paul Gavarni · 1804–1866

Paul Gavarni, born Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier on January 13, 1804, in Paris to a cooper father from Burgundy and mother Marie-Monique Thiémet—whose brother, painter Guillaume Thiémet, served as his godfather—began his career far from the art world. As a youth, he worked in a machine factory and studied mechanical drawing at the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers in 1818, followed by evening classe...