Monsieur Filochard, ex shopkeeper, retired, feels the need of passing on his bust in marble to even remotest posterity, plate 68 from Les Bons bourgeois

Monsieur Filochard, ex shopkeeper, retired, feels the need of passing on his bust in marble to even remotest posterity, plate 68 from Les Bons bourgeois — Honoré Daumier. 1847.

Medium: Lithograph in black on white wove paper. Dimensions: Image: 25.4 × 20.8 cm (10 × 8 1/4 in.); Sheet: 34 × 26 cm (13 7/16 × 10 1/4 in.).

Collection record: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Daumier often poked fun at the French bourgeoisie. Monsieur Filochard, the former shopkeeper seen here, is a member of les bons bourgeois (the good middle class). This print shows him using his newfound leisure time and funds to commission an expensive marble bust in his own likeness. The choice of marble over a painted portrait suggests his intention to flaunt his wealth, if not necessarily his good taste. The bust, despite its unflattering representation, is nonetheless desirable as a symbol of Filochard’s artistic patronage and social aspirations. Daumier was himself a sculptor of many humorous bronze busts.

Description: © Art Institute of Chicago, original record, CC BY 4.0. HTML formatting removed; wording retained. Other artwork metadata: CC0.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.