"My hero was good at hanging" from Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals
ca. 1837–47
Medium
Wood engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 5/16 × 7 3/16 in. (26.2 × 18.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection. The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959
Accession Number
59.500.592(52)
Art Historical Context
In the whimsical yet sharply satirical world of 19th-century French caricature "My hero was good at hanging" stands out as a wood engraving from *Scenes from the Private and Life of Animals* (ca. 1837–47). Created by illustrator J.J. Grandville, with text contributions from literary giant Honoré de Balzac this print is part of a celebrated album that anthropomorphizes animals to lampoon human society. Grandville's fantastical style—blending intricate detail with biting social commentary—captures the era's fascination with animal fables, echoing traditions from La Fontaine while skewering bourg...
About the Artist
Honoré de Balzac|J. J. Grandville (French|French) · 1799 |1803 –1850 |1847
French, Tours 1799–1850 Paris|French, Nancy 1803–1847 Vanves