Jean-Jacques Grandville (born Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard, 1803–1847) was a highly influential French illustrator and caricaturist renowned for his elaborate, often surreal, and politically charged drawings during the Romantic era.
Grandville is best known for his mastery of anthropomorphism, depicting animals, objects, and even plants with human characteristics and poses. His work was frequently published in satirical journals of the time, such as La Caricature and Le Charivari, where he used his fantastical imagery to lampoon social mores and political figures under the July Monarchy. His most celebrated works include the illustrations for La Fontaine’s Fables and his original graphic novels, like Scènes de la vie privée et publique des animaux (Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals).
Grandville’s imaginative fusion of the human and animal worlds made him a precursor to Surrealism and cemented his legacy as a pivotal figure in 19th-century graphic art.
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| Combat de deux raffinés, Un Autre Monde, 1844 |
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| La Concurrence, Un Autre Monde, 1844 |
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| La Mode, Un Autre Monde, 1844 |
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| Pérégrinations d'une Comète, Un Autre Monde, 1844 |
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| Sol, Un Autre Monde, 1844 |
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| Steam Concert, Un Autre Monde, 1844 |
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| Camellia, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Chardon, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Dahlia, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Fleur d'Oranger, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Fleur de Grenadier, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Guimauve (Marsh Mallow), Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| La Rose, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Laurier, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Soleil, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Tabac, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
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| Thé et Café, Les Fleurs Animées, 1947 |
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| Tulipe, Les Fleurs Animées, 1847 |
Grandville's use of anthropomorphism in his illustrations, like those from La Fontaine's Fables, truly sets him apart as a visionary artist. His satirical commentary through humanized animals is a fascinating precursor to Surrealism.
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