Plus on avance, moins on pénètre l'horrible mystère. (caricature). G.8727 (1 of 2), Vers 1837 — 1847

Author(s): grandville (nancy, 15–09–1803 - vanves, 17–03–1847), designer andrew, john (1815 - c. 1870 — 1875), engraver best, jean (toulouse, in 1808 - around 1879), engraver leloir, isidore (in 1806 - in 1881), engraver hetzel, pierre-jules (chartres, 15–01–1814 - monte-carlo, 17–03–1886), publisher paulin, editor other title: scenes from the private and public lives of animals. (title of the set) production date: around 1837 — 1847 dating in century: 19th century type(s) of object(s): print, graphic arts name(s): print dimensions - artwork: height: 27. 9cm width: 40. 2cm description: these prints belong to a set made up of plates taken from scenes from the private and public lives of animals: carg008725 to carg008740, carg008748, carg008753, carg022188 to carg022223. Marks, inscriptions, hallmarks: letter - on the front, inscriptions printed in black ink. Under the sticker on the left: "the further we advance, the less we penetrate the horrible mystery of which the unfortunate toad was the victim. ", under the one on the right: "the author of this attack / is a not very delicate wolf. ". Signature of the authors, under the left thumbnail, on the left: "jj grandville", on the right: "andrew best leloir"; under the right sticker, on the left: "jj g [. . . ] (illegible signature), on the right: "andrew best leloir". \ printing stamp - on the front, under the vignettes, in the middle, stamp in black ink: "carnavalet" (lugt suppl. 432d). \ inscription in ink inscription - on the front, above the stickers in the middle, number in pencil: "768". \ pencil inscription inscription - on the front, top left, number in pencil: "767" (?). \ pencil inscription inscription concerning the author - on the back, lower left, inscription in pencil: "grandville". \ pencil inscription inventory number - on the reverse, lower left, handwritten in black ink: "g. 8727". \ inscription in ink iconographic description: scenes from the private and public lives of animals: "the further we advance, the less we penetrate the horrible mystery. . . " (caricature). Two vignettes, animals mimicking men. A jury, magistrates (birds wearing hats), listens to a mole in charge of an investigation into the death of a toad. A wolf with handcuffs arrested by two gendarmes (uniform with cocked hat) in front of the object of the crime, the remains of a sheep and a lamb. The clerk, a bird, writes. Titles of the two vignettes: "the further we advance, the less we penetrate the horrible mystery of which the unfortunate toad was the victim. ", "the author of this attack is a not very delicate wolf. " historical commentary: it seems that the drawings in the first volume date from 1841 and those in the second volume from 1842 (see exhibition catalog "grandville original drawings", 1986-1987). Acquisition mode: unknown acquisition mode institution: carnavalet museum, history of paris inventory number: g. 8727. Date: Vers 1837 — 1847.