Les chevaliers du lustre
1866
Edmond Morin’s 1866 illustration offers a biting satire of 19th-century French theater culture, specifically the 'claque'—groups of people hired to applaud. Titled 'The Knights of the Chandelier,' the scene depicts a frantic audience clapping beneath a massive light fixture, with text noting that 'bravos are more expensive here than at the box office.' The punchline lies at the bottom: a parody coat of arms featuring '50 cent' coins reveals that the enthusiasm, and even the 'natural flowers' mentioned in the corner, were likely bought commodities. It’s a witty commentary on how artificial hype was used to manufacture success long before modern marketing.
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