Studio of La Caricture and Le Charivari

The scene is an imaginary studio filled with clutter. The impish jester drawing a visitor is Charles Philipon, the publisher of the satirical papers ‘La Caricature’ and ‘Le Charivari’. On the right hand side is a mannequin with the features of the government censor, d’Argout. The glass specimen jar contains a foetus with the face of Louis-Philippe’s powerful minister, Adolphe Thiers. Although his face is obscured, the improbable visitor is recognisable as King Louis-Philippe.