Les deux faces de Janus
1859
Edmond Morin’s 1859 illustration is a witty satire comparing the Parisian concierge to Janus, the two-faced Roman god. The central figure, a caretaker clutching a broom in his lodge, literally sports two visages: one grimacing at a tenant in a top hat, and the other beaming with delight—likely because it’s New Year’s Day and tip time! This wood engraving captures the classic 19th-century stereotype of the doorman whose mood flips depending on the size of the *étrennes* (gifts) in his pocket.
- Technique
- Wood engraving