H DAUMIER & E BOUVENNE 1846: COLOR PRINT NR 885 FROM "LAW & JUSTICE" SERIES

Honoré Daumier's (1808 - 1879) role in politics must not be underestimated: A vindictive opponent to French King Louis Philippe (who reigned from 1830 to 1848) he drew over 1,000 cartoons of which a good part mocked and ridiculed the regime. That Daumier was never jailed is a credit to the King and his government's tolerance . Historians agree that his incisive humor played a part in Louis Philippe's bloodless overthrow in 1848. Among Daumier's most famous series is "Les Gens de Justice" (Law and Justice), 39 cartoons which pokes fun at a system and at civil servants even more corrupt than a certain Hillary. Tenth in the series and ref. 885 in Daumier's work inventory is "Eulogie", from 1846, which shows a self important magistrate proclaiming his own merits while nobody around him listens. The caption in English, added in this frame on a separate sliver of paper covering the French text, is "The master reads in the Law Journal a eulogy of himself by himself" (photo 4). Size 15"x12"x3"