{"product_id":"les-poires-the-pears-charles-philipon","title":"Les Poires (The Pears) - Charles Philipon","description":"\u003cp\u003eA famous 1831 political caricature by Charles Philipon, documenting the satirical transformation of King Louis Philippe I into a pear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work by Charles Philipon is a seminal example of nineteenth-century political satire. It depicts the metamorphosis of King Louis Philippe I of France into a pear. The visual progression begins with a recognisable portrait of the monarch and gradually simplifies his features until only the pear shape remains. This sequence was created during the July Monarchy, a period marked by strict censorship laws in France. Philipon, a publisher and artist, used this imagery to mock the king, as the French word for pear, poire, also carried the slang meaning of a fool or a simpleton.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lithograph demonstrates the power of visual shorthand in political discourse. By reducing the royal visage to a basic geometric form, Philipon bypassed direct verbal criticism, which was often subject to legal prosecution. The work appeared in the satirical journal La Caricature, which Philipon founded. The image became a symbol of resistance against the regime, appearing in graffiti and various printed media across Paris. The artist employs a clear, progressive structure to guide the viewer through the transformation. The final, outline-only pear serves as a potent conclusion to the sequence, demonstrating how a simple shape could carry significant political weight. The work remains a primary example of how artists utilised print media to engage with the social and political climate of the era, relying on wit and visual association to communicate dissent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/sv\/products\/scene-uit-toneelstuk-de-kaartlegster-charles-rochussen\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eScène uit toneelstuk De kaartlegster - Charles Rochussen — Charles Rochussen\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/sv\/products\/watch-yourself-my-buffoon-friend-the-devil-is-finer-than-you-denis-auguste-marie-raffet\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eWatch yourself, my buffoon friend!!!!... The devil is finer than you... - Denis-Auguste-Marie Raffet — Auguste Raffet\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Charles Philipon","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58746142720335,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58746322288975,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58746322321743,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58746322354511,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58746322387279,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58746322420047,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58746322452815,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58746322485583,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58746322518351,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58746322551119,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58746322583887,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58746322616655,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Les-Poires-The-Pears-_Poster_CompositorV1_1789114445103.jpg?v=1789115954","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/sv\/products\/les-poires-the-pears-charles-philipon","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}