(Robert.) Hé bien! mon cher directeur, ton affaire marche-t-elle? (Bertrand) Oh! très bien! je suis très content...... seulement nous n'avons plus le sou, nous ne pouvons plus marcher. – Diable !! - Mais un capitaliste doit nous verser 200,000 francs, l’acte va se signer ce soir ou demain…… je suis très impatient, j’ai le plus grand besoin d’une paire de bottes.
(Robert.) Hé bien! mon cher directeur, ton affaire marche-t-elle? (Bertrand) Oh! très bien! je suis très content...... seulement nous n'avons plus le sou, nous ne pouvons plus marcher. – Diable !! - Mais un capitaliste doit nous verser 200,000 francs, l’acte va se signer ce soir ou demain…… je suis très impatient, j’ai le plus grand besoin d’une paire de bottes.
Title (alt.):
(Robert) Well! my dear director, how is your business? (Bertrand) Oh! Very Good! I am quite content......alas we do not have a penny to continue. - Devil !! - But an investor still owes us 200,000 Francs, the act will be signed tomorrow morning .....I am very impatient, I urgently need a new pair of boots.. Charivari
Description:
Robert Macaire asks a man if his business is going well. Robert Macaire may seem to be a realistic figure, however one should remember that in reality he is an artificial personality, created in 1823 by Benjamin Antier for his play „ L’Auberge des Adrets“. The breakthrough came in 1834, when Frédéric Lemaitre used the names of Macaire and his somewhat simple partner Serres-Bertrand for his various comedies in Paris. The figure of Macaire goes back as far as 1371, when - as the legend goes - Aubri de Montdidier, a nobleman from the court of Charles V was assassinated by Macaire. The murder was vindicated by his dog, the only witness of the assassination. A duel between the dog and Macaire, who was armed with a cudgel, should settle the case. The dog killed Macaire, who confessed the murder before he died. Macaire personified the clever business man, who was willing at any time to throw moral and ethical principles overboard for a quick buck. His personality fitted exactly to the period so well described by Alexis de Tocqueville: self-enrichment at all levels and a Government run on shareholders principles. Short-selling, pyramid systems, investments in Californian gold mines and IPOs of non existent companies were the name of the game. Thanks to Macaire and Bertrand, all the little tricks were demonstrated in detail to the public.
Copyright restrictions may apply. For permission to copy or use this image, contact the Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections Department, Brandeis University Libraries. The following credit line must be included with each item used: Benjamin A. and Julia M. Trustman Collection of Honoré Daumier Lithographs, Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department, Brandeis University.
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Place of origin:
Paris
Notes:
3rd state.
Published in: Le Charivari, February 28, 1841.
Notes (acquisition):
Donated by: Benjamin A. and Julia M. Trustman, 1959.
