Stock Character

The character of Robert Macaire is renowned in French culture as that of the archetypal villain. Originally the protagonist in a book and on stage, Monsieur Macaire later featured in a series of Daumier caricatures that appeared in the daily satirical newspaper, Le Charivari and which portrayed him as a morally bankrupt businessman. It was the first newspaper to be illustrated with lithographs such as those in our Daumier collection (dated 1840). They show the unscrupulous Macaire in a number of different guises: a bible salesman, an artist…a qualified eye specialist. But ultimately, always as a swindling crook. 

Sir the Shareholders

The caption underneath this picture translates as follows:

My Dear Stockholders,
The founder of the firm, Mr. Macaire, has resigned from his post of director. The position in which he has left the business is as follows: Share capital, 800'000 Fr. Expenditure on posters, classified advertisements, handbills and newspaper articles, 400'000 Fr. Purchases of economy furnaces, matches, saucepans and top quality carrots, 400'000 Fr. Remaining in hand, 400'000 zeros. In other words, our funds have been cooked, we've consumed them all. Rather than putting Paris in the stew, we have eaten our own soup and if we don't put some spice in the eating, the pot will boil over. (a new investment of ... is then voted with unanimity...)

More captions are available on the Daumier Register site.

Bible Salesman

A Qualified Eye Specialist

 

The subtitle for the British satirical magazine, Punch, was actually The London Charivari – a clear hommage to the French version. As for Robert Macaire, his persona is such that you could easily imagine his counterpart across the channel and, from where we stand today, across the centuries too.

Take a look (but don’t be taken in) here.