Author(s):
grandville (nancy, 15–09–1803 - vanves, 17–03–1847), designer
becquet (printing) (28–02–1796), printer
aubert (printer, lithographer, editor), editor
other title: the moral, religious, literary and scenic caricature (title of the whole)
production date: in 1833
type(s) of object(s): manuscripts, printed matter, binding
name(s): periodical illustration
materials and techniques: etching
dimensions - artwork:
height: 35. 8cm
width: 52. 4cm
dimensions - image:
height: 23. 4cm
width: 34cm
description:
ht plate published in the moral, religious, literary and scenic caricature, volume 6 (10th drawing of the association, may 1833)
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription - title bottom center: “the people delivered to sucking taxes in the great budget pit [budget]”; legend lower in the center: “free show given by the power to employees of all kinds”; indications: top to left: “10th monthly subscription drawing (month of may)”
registration - in the letter: “we subscribe to aubert galerie véro dodat. » [editor]; in the image, bottom right, signature: “j. J. Granville sculp” [jean-jacques grandville, designer and engraver]
registration - the furniture tax monster has a small clearance of objects next to him (“sale // at chatelet”)
iconographic description:
in order to denounce the multiplication of taxes inflicted on the people by government decision, grandville imagined the staging of a show, based on a dream of charles philipon. This dream takes place in a pit enclosed by walls, like an arena, square in shape. “tax suckers” are filthy and terrifying monsters. Each person embodies a type of tax: there is the monster of the tax on salt (“tax ind. Sel”), of the tax: the monster bears the inscription “octroi” on its belly and holds in its many paws the name of the products subject to the tax (“wine”, “tobacco”, “oil”, “char […] on [coal]”), of the personnel (“imp. Personnel”), of the lottery (“lottery”) to which attempts are made. To escape a man, from furniture (“furniture”): he holds a man of the people in his arms and is busy sucking him, biting into him. Some have already been sucked and are lying on the ground. A woman, accompanied by her two children, kneels before the cap-wearing “customs” monster, in the foreground, and begs him to spare her. Left in the foreground is the “recipe // general” crate, filled with multiple bags of money. In an opening in the pit, behind a low wooden door, three monsters are waiting to enter the scene: these are the monster of the “doors”, the “windows” and the “patents”. Men, women and children attend this spectacle. The explanation gives its composition: here is an extract: "civil servants, prefects, sub-prefects, directors and receivers general, city sergens [sergeants], king's prosecutors, substitutes, rural guards, gendarmes, investigating judges, presidens [presidents] of court, decorated ones, ministerial journalists, sold poets, inspectors general, inspectors of the university, tobacconists, the lottery, stamped paper (…)” they are located on a terrace going around the pit, built above it. Some are seated at tables, drinking drinks. The vast majority view this scene with relative indifference, without being offended. In the background to the right, a gallery with three arcades in which members of the government are located. From left to right: soult, d’argout, madier de montjau, louis-philippe, barthe, thiers and viennet. Grandville created a striking contrast between the preciousness of the crowd on the upper gallery. And the monstrous and disgusting spectacle of deformed creatures devouring common men. The explanation specifies that it is only a dream and that the french people, in reality, would not allow themselves to be taxed so much: “these people would not be stupid enough to serve as fodder for a ferocious gang. ” it is a clear invitation, addressed by philipon to the common people, to rebel. Because this situation already exists, and philipon believes that the people are letting it happen, but that it should not last. The depiction of this dream is in fact a way of denouncing reality. Person / character depicted:
argout, antoine maurice apollinaire d', baron; louis-philippe i, king of the french; madier de montjau, joseph paulin; viennet, jean pons guillaume; thiers, adolphe; soult, nicolas-jean de dieu; barthe, felix
mode of acquisition: retrospective registration
date of acquisition: 20–02–2013
institution: maison de balzac. Date: En 1833.
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