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Robert Macaire at the restaurant. – My God!… By the most appalling error my friend and I forgot to take some money this morning… As you don’t have the honor of knowing us, may I offer you as collateral for the 6 francs, 25 centimes we owe you these ten shares of the newspaper La Presse, or perhaps my friend’s hat. – I would really prefer your friend’s hat!
Public Domain

Honoré Daumier

Robert Macaire at the restaurant. – My God!… By the most appalling error my friend and I forgot to take some money this morning… As you don’t have the honor of knowing us, may I offer you as collateral for the 6 francs, 25 centimes we owe you these ten shares of the newspaper La Presse, or perhaps my friend’s hat. – I would really prefer your friend’s hat!

1836

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Robert Macaire at the restaurant. – My God!… By the most appalling error my friend and I forgot to take some money this morning… As you don’t have the honor of knowing us, may I offer you as collateral for the 6 francs, 25 centimes we owe you these ten shares of the newspaper La Presse, or perhaps my friend’s hat. – I would really prefer your friend’s hat!

Honoré Daumier

Robert Macaire at the restaurant. – My God!… By the most appalling error my friend and I forgot to take some money this morning… As you don’t have the honor of knowing us, may I offer you as collateral for the 6 francs, 25 centimes we owe you these ten shares of the newspaper La Presse, or perhaps my friend’s hat. – I would really prefer your friend’s hat!

Honoré Daumier

Robert Macaire at the restaurant. – My God!… By the most appalling error my friend and I forgot to take some money this morning… As you don’t have the honor of knowing us, may I offer you as collateral for the 6 francs, 25 centimes we owe you these ten shares of the newspaper La Presse, or perhaps my friend’s hat. – I would really prefer your friend’s hat!

1836

Physical Qualities Crayon lithograph with hand coloring, Sheet: 214 × 273 mm. (8 7/16 × 10 3/4 in.)
Portfolio/Series Plate 19 from the series 'Caricaturana"
Credit Line Given in Memory of Joseph Katz by his Children
Object Number 1963.109.17

Artist

Honoré Daumier

French, 1808-1879

Meet Honoré Daumier
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BY SAME ARTIST
PRINTS, DRAWINGS & PHOTOGRAPHS
NADAR ELEVATING PHOTOGRAPHY TO ART
Honoré Daumier
Nadar Elevating Photography to Art
1862
ROBERT MACAIRE, BARRISTER. - MY DEAR BERTRAND, GIVE ME A HUNDRED CROWNS AND I'LL GET YOU ACQUITTED RIGHT AWAY. - I'VE NO MONEY. - ALL RIGHT, GIVE ME A HUNDRED FRANCS. - I HAVEN'T GOT A PENNY. - YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TEN FRANCS? - NOT A FARTHING. - THEN GIVE ME YOUR BOOTS, AND I'LL PLEAD EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
Honoré Daumier
Robert Macaire, barrister. - My dear Bertrand, give me a hundred crowns and I'll get you acquitted right away. - I've no money. - All right, give me a hundred francs. - I haven't got a penny. - You don't even have ten francs? - Not a farthing. - Then give me your boots, and I'll plead extenuating circumstances.
1836
UN GUICHET DE THÉATRE.
Charles Maurand and Honoré Daumier
Un Guichet de théatre.
1862
EXPLOITING FRIENDSHIP. MY DEAR ALPHONSE, I'VE INVITED THESE GENTLEMEN, MY FRIENDS, TO DINE AT YOUR HOME. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO TASTE OUR CHAMPAGNE, WE'LL LAUGH... WAIT A MINUTE! I'VE AN IDEA. WHAT IF WE WENT TO THE WOOD? WE COULD TAKE YOUR BAROUCHE AND YOU COULD LEND US SOME CLOTHES AS WE ONLY CAME TO PAY A SIMPLE VISITE... IN THE MEANTIME, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US SOME CARDS AND SOME NAPOLEONS TO PASS THE TIME. EH? MY GOOD ALPHONSE, DEAR CHAP. HOW A
Honoré Daumier
Exploiting friendship. My dear Alphonse, I've invited these gentlemen, my friends, to dine at your home. I would like them to taste our champagne, we'll laugh... wait a minute! I've an idea. What if we went to the wood? We could take your barouche and you could lend us some clothes as we only came to pay a simple visite... In the meantime, why don't you give us some cards and some Napoleons to pass the time. Eh? My good Alphonse, dear chap. How about it?
1837
CROQUADE DIVERS
Unknown Artist and Honoré Daumier
Croquade Divers
1840
ROBERT MACAIRE, BUSINESS AGENT. YESTERDAY I MADE A MISTAKE WHEN I SAID THAT YOUR BUSINESS IS IN GOOD SHAPE. IT'S DETESTABLE. THE GOVERNMENT OWES YOU FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS, IT'S TRUE, BUT THE DEBT HASN'T BEEN RECOGNIZED, THERE'S A FORFEITURE TODAY, YOU WON'T HAVE A PENNY. HOWEVER, COME TO THINK OF IT, THERE'S MR. DE ST. BERTRAND, A RICH CAPITALIST, AN IMBECILE, SELL HIM YOUR INTERESTS FOR A HUNDRED CROWNS, THAT'LL BE A SPLENDID DEAL... (ASI
Honoré Daumier
Robert Macaire, business agent. Yesterday I made a mistake when I said that your business is in good shape. It's detestable. The government owes you five hundred thousand francs, it's true, but the debt hasn't been recognized, there's a forfeiture today, you won't have a penny. However, come to think of it, there's Mr. de St. Bertrand, a rich capitalist, an imbecile, sell him your interests for a hundred crowns, that'll be a splendid deal... (aside) and not expensive.
1836
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
c. 1903
YES MADAME, I AM WITH ALL MY AVAILABLE MEANS DEVOUT TO OUR AUGUST PRINCE; ALL I NEED ARE SOME MISERABLE HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS TO ESTABLISH HIS ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. - AND WHAT ARE YOUR MEANS? - MY MEANS! I HAVE PLENTY OF THEM. I HAVE FRIENDS, NEWSPAPERS, AND IF THE ENTIRE MACAIRE FAMILY SUPPORTS HIM, NEVER A PRINCE HAD SUCH A HUGE ARMY AT HIS SERVICE.
Honoré Daumier
Yes Madame, I am with all my available means devout to our August Prince; all I need are some miserable hundred thousand francs to establish his accession to the throne. - And what are your means? - My means! I have plenty of them. I have friends, newspapers, and if the entire Macaire family supports him, never a prince had such a huge army at his service.
1841
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
c. 1903
MY DEAR FRIEND, YOU REALLY DON'T LOOK VERY WELL THIS MORNING. I AM NOT SPEAKING TO YOU AS A DOCTOR, BUT AS A FRIEND. I MUST INSIST IN TREATING YOU.... BETTER THAN I WOULD TREAT MYSELF. I AM GOING TO APPLY 30 LEECHES TO YOUR BELLY AND IF BY TOMORROW YOU HAVE NOT IMPROVED, I'LL APPLY ANOTHER SIXTY.
Honoré Daumier
My dear friend, you really don't look very well this morning. I am not speaking to you as a doctor, but as a friend. I must insist in treating you.... better than I would treat myself. I am going to apply 30 leeches to your belly and if by tomorrow you have not improved, I'll apply another sixty.
1845
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
n.d.
ROBERT MACAIRE BUSINESS AGENT. - BY THE DEVIL! IT'S REALLY ADMIRABLE OF YOU TO BREAK YOUR BACK TO PAY OFF YOUR DEBTS, MY GOOD CHAP, WIPE THEM OUT AT ONCE! - BUT HOW? - GOOD HEAVENS! BRING ME YOUR BOOKS, I'LL PUT THEM IN ORDER, IT'S MY SPECIALTY, WE'LL SETTLE FOR A FEW LIABILITIES, A LARGE NUMBER OF ASSETS, WE'LL ASSEMBLE YOUR CREDITORS, WE'LL OFFER FIVE PERCENT TO BE PAID OVER TEN YEARS, YOU WON'T GIVE THEM ANYTHING DURING THE TEN YEARS, IN TEN Y
Honoré Daumier
Robert Macaire business agent. - By the devil! It's really admirable of you to break your back to pay off your debts, my good chap, wipe them out at once! - But how? - Good heavens! Bring me your books, I'll put them in order, it's my specialty, we'll settle for a few liabilities, a large number of assets, we'll assemble your creditors, we'll offer five percent to be paid over ten years, you won't give them anything during the ten years, in ten years' time you'll start again, your creditors will be dead, the debts forgotten and nobody will say a word about it.
1837