Mr. de la Jobardière

Déjeuné frugal de M. Aricosec cousin de la Jobardière dans son voyage a paris, no date [1815]. Etching with hand coloring. Inscribed in plate, l.l.: “Un vieux concierge de chateau qui vient pour réclame une place a Paris” (possible translation: An old castle caretaker who comes to Paris at the offer a place).
Graphic Arts Collection French prints

In 1815 a small volume was published in Paris under the pseudonym of Mr. de La Jobardière, with illustrations by Adolphe Lalauze (perhaps the father of the etcher Adlophe Lalauze 1838-1906). M. de La Jobardière aux acteurs, actrices et critiques du Théâtre français is the first published mention of the character of de La Jobardière, named after the French city. He is a tall, unsophisticated man who has many adventures and troubles.

In the Vinck collection of prints at the Bibliotheque Nationale De France, there are a series of caricatures featuring Mr. de la Jobardière. At least one can be dated to March 1815 and the only artist’s named are Forceval and Aubry, of which little it known. Fifteen years later a one-act comedy appeared at the Variétés by Théophile Marion Dumersan (1780-1849) and Henri Dupin (1791-1887) entitled Monsieur de La Jobardière, ou La Révolution impromptu.

A few of the print titles are Bravoure et générosité de M.r de La Jobardière; Vision de M.r de La Jobardière; M.r de La Jobardièrede retour dans son Manoir; Déjeuné frugal de M.r Aricosec cousin de la Jobardière dans son voyage a paris; M.r de La Jobardière chez son secrétaire; M.r De La Jobardière Marquis de terre en cour; and M.r de la Jobardière se pousse chez les Grands.

Oddly, in April 1860, a comic story turns up in the Chicago Tribune titled The Czar and the Frenchman, describing a trip by a Frenchman Mr. De La Jobardière, clearly taken from this earlier series.