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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.
Public Domain

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

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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.

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

Physical Qualities Crayon lithograph with hand coloring, Sheet: 255 × 197 mm. (10 1/16 × 7 3/4 in.)
Portfolio/Series Plate 9 from the series "Caricaturana"
Credit Line Nelson and Juanita Greif Gutman Collection
Object Number 1963.313.33

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 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
UN GUICHET DE THÉATRE.
Charles Maurand and Honoré Daumier
Un Guichet de théatre.
1862
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
CROQUADE DIVERS
Unknown Artist and Honoré Daumier
Croquade Divers
1840
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
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
c. 1903
ROBERT MACAIRE, SOLLICITOR. - WE'VE WON, MY DEAR FELLOW, WON ON EVERY COUNT! - AND ABOUT TIME TOO. A CASE WHICH HAS LASTED TEN YEARS AND HAS RUINED ME! - BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! - HOW MUCH DID I GET BACK IN THE END? - HERE YOU ARE: THE COURT AWARDED YOU 12'000 FR, WE TOTALLED 13'500 FR IN EXPENSES, YOU ONLY OWE ME 1'500 FR. - BUT THAT MEANS I LOSE 1'500 FR . - YES, BUT YOU'VE WON YOUR CASE.
Honoré Daumier
Robert Macaire, sollicitor. - We've won, my dear fellow, won on every count! - And about time too. A case which has lasted ten years and has ruined me! - Better late than never! - How much did I get back in the end? - Here you are: The court awarded you 12'000 Fr, we totalled 13'500 Fr in expenses, you only owe me 1'500 Fr. - But that means I lose 1'500 Fr . - Yes, but you've won your case.
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 MY UNCLE, MY VIRTUOUS UNCLE, I WAS A SPENDTHRIFT, GAMBLER, SEDUCER, I HAD MANY FAULTS, IN A WORD I WAS FRIVOLOUS... BUT YOU'RE ILL, VERY ILL, THE DOCTORS HAVE ABANDONED YOU... I'VE COME TO AID YOU, TO FALL AT YOUR FEET, I'LL SWEAR... ANYTHING YOU LIKE... I'LL ONLY LEAVE YOU AT DEATH, MY KIND UNCLE, MY SO EXCELLENT UNCLE! LET'S EMBRACE AND PUT AN END TO IT. (MACAIRE, SOLE INHERITOR, HAS HIS DEAR UNCLE THROWN INTO A COMMON PIT).
Honoré Daumier
Yes my uncle, my virtuous uncle, I was a spendthrift, gambler, seducer, I had many faults, in a word I was frivolous... but you're ill, very ill, the doctors have abandoned you... I've come to aid you, to fall at your feet, I'll swear... anything you like... I'll only leave you at death, my kind uncle, my so excellent uncle! Let's embrace and put an end to it. (Macaire, sole inheritor, has his dear uncle thrown into a common pit).
1837
THE GRAND STAIRWAY OF THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE
Alfred Prunaire and Honoré Daumier
The Grand Stairway of the Palais de Justice
n.d.
LET'S BE QUITE CLEAR. - BERTRAND IS GOING TO SNEAK IN AND OUT OF THE GROUPS AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE AND POLISH UP THE TARRED BITUMEN SHARES, HE'LL MAKE THEM SPARKLE, HE'LL SAY THEY'RE BEING SNAPPED UP, SNATCHED UP ALL ROUND, THAT THEY'RE RISING LIKE BALLOONS... AS FOR YOU, BARON, YOU HAVE A CERTAIN 'SAVOIR FAIRE', GO AND BUY SOME FOR 20%, 30%, EVEN 100% MORE. I'VE GOT THE WHOLE LOT IN MY WALLET, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DELIVER ANY, WE'LL SELL THEM FO
Honoré Daumier
Let's be quite clear. - Bertrand is going to sneak in and out of the groups at the stock exchange and polish up the tarred bitumen shares, he'll make them sparkle, he'll say they're being snapped up, snatched up all round, that they're rising like balloons... As for you, Baron, you have a certain 'savoir faire', go and buy some for 20%, 30%, even 100% more. I've got the whole lot in my wallet, they won't be able to deliver any, we'll sell them for what we like and providence will do the rest. - (Bertrand) Forward march against the dupes, let's cash in... fly... etc.
1838