Le Charivari


Le Charivari was an illustrated magazine published in Paris, France, from 1832 to 1937. It published caricatures, political cartoons and reviews. After 1835, when the government banned political caricature, Le Charivari began publishing satires of everyday life. The name refers to the folk practice of holding a charivari, a loud, riotous parade, to shame or punish wrongdoers.

History and profile

Le Charivari was started by caricaturist Charles Philipon and his brother-in-law Gabriel Aubert to reduce their financial risk of censorship fines. They also had published the satirical, anti-monarchist, illustrated newspaper La Caricature, which had more pages and was printed on more expensive paper. In Le Charivari, they featured humorous content which was not so political. Ownership of the paper changed often due to issues with government censorship, and related taxes and fines.
Le Charivari published daily from 1832 to 1936, and then weekly until 1937.
In 1841 English engraver, Ebenezer Landells, together with Henry Mayhew, used Le Charivari as the model to establish their Punch magazine, subtitled The London Charivari.
depicting the studio of La Caricature and Charivari after the two publications merged. The harlequin is drawing a caricature of King Louis Philppe whose back is turned to the onlooker.

Selected contributing artists

Contributing with lithographs, woodcuts, and with zincographies were: