Monarchy in France hasn't quite given up yet. She still hopes to reign by way of elections. In this print, we see Ratapoil trying to reach the French population by means of an axe. Note the imperial eagle on top of the flag. Ratapoil was a fictitious name for a Bonapartist rogue and hit man, an active member of the so called “Société du 10 Décembre” and the henchman of Napoléon III. He always carried a menacing cudgel, using it like a baseball bat to convince political opponents to change their votes in favour of the Bonapartist party. Daumier created a beautiful sculpture of Ratapoil expressing all the violence and aggressiveness of this character in a highly convincing way.
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:
Published in: Le Charivari, October 24, 1871.
1st state.
Notes (acquisition):
Donated by: Benjamin A. and Julia M. Trustman, 1959.
