In a room, members of the government are gathered for a ball: "a ball at louis-philippe's" (in explanation). The explanation specifies that the pl. Does not intend to reflect the magnificence of the balls of the court of the july monarchy, but only a "barnstorming party" populated by "legislative rumps and informers. Luxury will be replaced by the most shabby meanness". And the reason for this choice is simple: "we do not like the happy medium". Ganneron is the one who provides the lighting for the evening. At a gaming table, in the foreground on the left, are soult and the deputy jacques lefèvre: on the table is a model of the stock exchange (brongniart palace), and a piece of paper bearing the words "argent // des // contri // buables [taxpayers]" is under lefèvre's elbow. Behind them, standing, the duke of orléans dances with a woman (the pl. Mocks the refusal of all the european princesses to marry him). Next to him, from behind, a "fat officer of the national guard" (?) (in explanation). Prunelle dances in front of madier de montjau holding the hand of an ugly woman. Behind them, persil dances in front of a very ugly woman as well. Royer-collard dances in front of an obese woman. Dubois is just behind them and seems to be watching them. On the right, keratry, perched on tiptoe, dances with a tall woman. Cunin-gridaine (nicknamed "cul-nain-gris-d'aise" in the explanation) is not far away. In the foreground on the right, a police sergeant, gisquet, dances with a woman. Behind us we can see etienne's head. On the far right, schonen seems to rush to a bottle of "new cider" brought by montalivet (in charge of the food and drink at this party). Louis-philippe, seen from behind, seems to say: "enough, enough refreshments like that!" in the center, in the background, under a candle decorated with a coat of arms (consisting of a crossed sword and an enema syringe and decorated with two fleurs-de-lys, an umbrella and a pear with a human face), dupin punches barthe in the good eye. The librarian vatout offers madame athalin a drink, but she refuses it (an allusion to her alcoholism). Finally, lobau quenches his thirst at the neck of an enema syringe. Delessert waits his turn to taste it. And a last character (?), on the left, in profile, watches this scene: it is "one of the sons-in-law of the room, a gentleman with his hair done like a hairdresser, his combed like a hairdresser, his pomaded like a hairdresser, a gentleman who would appear admirably in mr. Plaisir's watch". Date: 1833.
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