The print titled "La Ménagerie Impériale - Musée des Empaillés" is a satirical caricature featuring three figures, each depicted as a different animal. It is part of a series composed of 31 hand-colored lithograph plates by the artist Hadol, published in Paris by Au Bureau des Annonces around 1870. The album, "LA MENAGERIE IMPÉRIALE," portrays various figures as animals, metaphorically representing those who have "devoured" France over the past 20 years, including during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871).
In this specific print, three individuals are illustrated:
1. "Le Crocodile Magnan" (The Crocodile Magnan) – A figure with a human head attached to a crocodile's body. 2. "Le Crabe Walewski" (The Crab Walewski) – A figure's head preserved in a jar labeled "Vieux Cognac." 3. "Le Caméléon Billault" (The Chameleon Billault) – A figure with a human head and a chameleon's body perched on a branch.
The print uses humor and exaggeration to depict these figures in a derisive manner, critiquing their roles and actions during a turbulent period in France’s history. The text at the top reads "LA MENAGERIE IMPERIALE" and "MUSÉE DES EMPAILLÉS" (Museum of the Stuffed Animals), with each figure labeled accordingly. The format is small quarto (Sm. 4to), and the edges are slightly worn and browned, typical for works of this age.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.