Paul Gavarni, Le Mari Chanteur (The Singing Husband), 19th Century, Lithograph

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An original nineteenth-century lithograph on paper by the celebrated French illustrator and caricaturist Paul Gavarni, titled Le Mari Chanteur ("The … Read more An original nineteenth-century lithograph on paper by the celebrated French illustrator and caricaturist Paul Gavarni, titled Le Mari Chanteur ("The Singing Husband"), a humorous domestic satire illustrating the artist's celebrated observations of Parisian bourgeois life during the July Monarchy. The composition depicts an overly self-assured husband standing proudly in the centre of a bourgeois interior, hands clasped behind his back as he delivers what he imagines to be a magnificent operatic performance. Behind him, his wife sits in quiet despair, covering her face as she endures his enthusiastic recital. Beneath the image, Gavarni adds a witty caption parodying operatic grandiloquence, while the subtitle humorously compares the husband to a domestic rooster ("coq"), gently mocking masculine vanity and theatrical self-importance. Executed with Gavarni's elegant, fluid draftsmanship, the lithograph combines expressive figure drawing with subtle tonal modelling to create a scene that is both psychologically perceptive and irresistibly comic. Unlike the broader social caricature of Daumier, Gavarni specialised in the manners, fashions, and intimate relationships of Parisian society, bringing wit and sophistication to everyday domestic situations. Published by Chez Panier, Rue du Croissant, 16, and printed by Aubert & Cie, the print belongs to Gavarni's highly successful series of social satires that appeared during the 1830s and 1840s. His lithographs enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime and remain among the finest examples of nineteenth-century French humorous printmaking. Good overall condition, with a well-preserved impression displaying clear lithographic detail and pleasing tonal range. The sheet shows light age toning, scattered foxing, and minor handling wear consistent with age. A small tear at the upper right margin and slight marginal creasing are present but do not materially affect the printed image This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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