Robert: “- Well, well! My dear director... how's business?” Bertrand: “- Good, very good, I am quite content. Unfortunately we don't have a penny to continue! - Oh blast! - But an investor still owes us 200,000 Francs... and will come up for signature either tonight or latest tomorrow morning. - About time... I urgently need a new pair of boots,” plate 6 from Robert Macaire
Medium
Lithograph, with watercolor, heightened with gum arabic on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
35.7 × 27.7 cm (14 1/16 × 10 15/16 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
159319
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In the 19th century, men’s accessories were much less varied and changeable than women’s undergarments, but evidently still indispensible. Honoré Daumier’s failing director’s first priority is therefore to buy new boots once his business is solvent again. This unique impression served as a color template for a hand-colored edition of the print.
About the Artist
Honoré-Victorin Daumier · 1808–1879
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...