Nadar Elevating Photography to Art

Various news. "The Rue de la Lune has been illuminated with gas light." Correction: In our last edition instead of "The mayor has given birth to twins" it should read: "He has returned into town." We are being informed from Dijon: "The latest frost has completely destroyed the mustard seeds; this will most likely result in considerable price increases for Moutarde de Dijon." - We inform our readers of a new kind of activity: cunning swindlers are getting information about the addresses of regular patrons of coffee houses. While the clients are reading the newspapers, the thieves will pillage to their home.

Un Guichet de théatre.

Yes sir, in exchange for a small premium with our insurance, you can be assured for death....for death in a proper gentlemanly manner. When you go off in a fine hearse, very comfortable, to be mourned by the poor people of the district, and leaving an inconsolable widow in golden letters on your grave.... - And if you don't keep your promises? - Then you can still give us a receipt and sue us before a tribunal.

Croquade Divers

The other day, I pulled off another smart trick... I had set up a firm with a capital of ten million francs to exploit top boots in cardboard ... I had placed only eight shares worth a petty 1200 francs... I called together my eight shareholders and held forth in something like the following manner: "Ah! Good-day ye strolling gentlemen, how handsome you are, how fine you seem!" I promised them more cheese than bread, I gave them a 50% dividend, I warmed them up a bit and let them simmer... The following day they couldn't get hold of my shares fast enough, I placed all of them and at the next meeting I said: "The last time I did the books I made a mistake. I forgot to take into account the price of the cardboard and its fabrication. You must return the dividend I gave you, I'm going to hold it back... I put down nothing and kept back the r

The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice

Great Exhibition... of Industry and Contemporary Jokes. Enter and judge for yourself! Everything is arranged and ready: The pancake of the courts good for digestion (To the side: and difficult to digest). The Master-thief who catches all!! (save for his shadow). Liquid bitumen! (exactly). Men's shirts for the use of little children. The marvellous indestructible hats (that melt in the sun and dissolve in the rain). Dromedar cream in great demand (by fools). English beer with lots of froth (like in the newspapers). Simpleton's sublime, the classic coal of Saint Pétrain that one can put to the test (at any time).

The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice

The Oyster. (You'll wake me up at dinner time.) Big, fat, thick, plump, greedy, wakes up only for the purpose of taking in food and sleeps only for the purpose of digesting it. The oyster does not eat for living, but lives for eating. Its locomotive and industrial apparatus are non existent. It vegetates on the spot and its existence is manifested only by the exactitude, the number and the quality of the meals. The entire energy of the oyster is located in the stomach. One might call it an animal of pleasure, its only mission in life being to consume without working, while others work without consuming. It seems to be perfectly at ease with this providential mission. (Lacépède – Natural History.)

The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice

Reading the newspaper. Oh, I hope that my great journal finally reports some good news about the present crisis.... now, let's see.. hm.. hmm.."The situation is serious".... this is really getting to be somewhat monotonous. (Every morning the same story.)