Caricatures Of Napoleon

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Jacques-Louis-Constant Lecerf

ROBINSON ON ELBA

The Animal Fable.

Arenenberg, Napoleonmuseum.

Based on the novel (1719-20) by Daniel Defoe (c.1660-1731), the theme of Robinson Crusoe was widely exploited by caricaturists during both of Napoleon's exiles. As for Swift's Gulliver, it is one of the rare examples of great literature to enter popular culture. However, contrary to Gulliver, the French were the ones to make a name for Robinson Crusoe who can also be encountered in German works (Der neue Robinson, catal. exhib. Hanover, p. 168-169, pl. LVI, n° 6.9). Nevertheless, this new Robinson Crusoe is no longer the civilizing hero first conceived by the British writer. He has lost his sheep's skin and has become a tiger, he holds a saw by way of a sceptre and out of his basket protrude writings listing his crimes : Vincennes (The Duke of Enghien's execution), Jaffa (Bonaparte was said to have poisoned his soldiers; cf. R. Wilson, History of the british expedition to Egypt, 1803), Spain, where so many soldiers died, etc. In the background a militarized Man Friday hastens.

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Desalles

THE YELLOW DWARF'S LAST EFFORT TO SUPPORT NICOLAS

The name of Nicolas, a plebeian, even peasant first name, was invented by the Royalists to depreciate the Emperor and expose his usurping and enterprising nature.
Arenenberg, Napoleonmuseum.

This caricature dates back to the first years of the second Restoration, right after Waterloo. It recalls a popular card-game, the "yellow dwarf" where players have to get rid of the card with the dwarf. In popular culture, the dwarf is associated with evil forces and chaos and they are meant to be supporting the Emperor in this satirical print. Once more, Napoleon is compared to the devil or an ogre, a common representation at the end of the Empire. But the caricature goes beyond this : the Nain Jaune was the name of a paper which exposed the members of the Ancien Régime back in France. The Royalists therefore saw the paper as one lending support to Napoleon. In fact, its founder, Cauchois-Lemaire (1789-1861), wanted to create a means of expression for freedom and truth. In consequence, he relaunched his paper in 1816 after having sought refuge in Belgium and founded an "anti-extinguisher" commission which was opposed to the monarchy without being in favour of Bonaparte.