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| Title | La Restitution |
| Subtitle | ou, Chaq'un Son Compte |
| Creator | Anonymous |
| Place of Publication | [France -- Paris] |
| Date | 1814 |
| Caption Text | Caption on image:
La Restitution, ou Chaqu'un Son Compte (Restitution, or Everyone Take Care of Themselves)
Dialogue and signage:
[Legends at bottom of drawing - see translations in Historical Notes]
(1) Elle est en bien Mauvais état.
(2) Ou l'on trouve Ton bien on le prend
(3) Il me faut encore Ceci
(4) Mais pourtant cela doit être à moi.
(5) Acceptez toujour ceci vous prendrez le reste après.
(6) Grâce à vous je n'ai plus rien.
(7) Depuis longtemps j'y travaillais.
(8) Voyons ce qu'ils me laisseront.
(9) Allons nous en avant que l'on nous te dise.
(10) Mais de quel Côté.
(11) Suivez-moi je Connais Cette porte.
[Writing on door] Porte de derrière. (Back door)
[Below legends] Déposé à la direction du General de l'Imprimerie (Registered at the direction of the General of the Print Shop)
[Document under arm of Figure #9] Cuisinière Bourgeoise des Confitures (Bourgeois jam cooking)
[Document under arm of Figure #11] Démission par Fuite…ésion (Resignation by flight)
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| Historical Notes | This drawing reflects the uncertainty regarding the rearrangement of Europe after Napoleon's abdication in April, 1814, and the limited support given to Louis XVIII. It shows the sovereigns and generals of the Allies taking portions of the map of the Empire, but the allocations implied here do not accurately reflect the territorial decisions that were ultimately made at the Congress of Vienna. Ferdinand of Spain (#1) is shown carrying off a map of the entire Iberian Peninsula, saying "She's in a really bad state." But, in fact, Portugal was never intended to go to Spain, and Spain had little say in how Napoleon's conquered lands were divided. The Emperor of Austria (#3) is shown detaching the Netherlands (Pays Bas) from the map, saying "I need this too", but that was not to be the final outcome. He has already loaded parts of Poland, Germany, and Italy in the sack and has Venice and Piedmont in his pocket--these were part of the final division. The King of Prussia (#2) picks up the pieces of a model castle labeled Erfurt (location of a secret convention between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander) saying "Wherever you find something good, you grab it." He has scrolls labeled Saissels and Rosbac in his pocket.
Louis XVIII (#4) appears weak and passive while still hoping for territory: "But nevertheless this should be for me." Tsar Alexander of Russia (#5) hands Louis his crown, saying "Take this now, you can get the rest later" but Alexander keeps the map of France firmly in his hand. Napoleon (#6) is shown still sitting on his throne but looking stricken, and says to the other powers: "Thanks to you, I no longer have anything." The Duke of Wellington (#7) voices his satisfaction: "For a long time, I've been working for this."
The remaining people, prominent military and/or political aides to Napoleon, are shown deserting Napoleon and looking after their own survival. Murat (#8), one of Napoleon"s most loyal generals who was made King of Naples after the successful invasion of Spain, speculates: "Let's see what they will leave me." The other three are Cambacérès (#11) and his entourage (Villevieille #9, and d'Aigrefeuille #10), shown slipping out the back door. D'Aigrefeuille carries a cookbook under his arm and Cambacérès a document labeled "resignation by flight." Cambacérès and his friends were known for their gastronomic excess, and they did extricate themselves from politics after Napoleon's exile by fleeing Paris and returning to the provinces. Here, Villevielle asks "Are we going [to leave] before they tell us to?", and d'Aigrefeuille says "But from what side?" Cambacérès tells them to "Follow me, I know this door" and heads through the door marked "back door."
Reference source: George #12248
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| Publishing Notes | Also found in the De Vinck Collection (#9335) at the Bibliotheque Nationale (Paris).
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| Subjects (LCSH) | Political cartoons
History--Caricatures & cartoons
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815
Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, 1777-1825
Frederick William III, King of Prussia, 1770-1840
Ferdinand VII, King of Spain, 1784-1833
Francis I, Emperor of Austria, 1768-1835
Louis XVIII, King of France, 1755-1824
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852
Joachim Murat, King of Naples, 1767-1815
Cambacérès, Jean Jacques Régis de, 1753-1824
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| Geographic Coverage | France |
| Digital Collection | Napoleonic Period Collection
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| Digital ID Number | NAP008 |
| Repository | University of Washington Libraries. Special Collections Division. |
| Repository Collection | Napoleon Collection |
| UW Reference Number | F4 |
| Object Type | Print |
| Physical Description | Etching, hand colored ; plate mark 33 x 22 cm. on sheet 40 x 26 cm. |
| Digital Reproduction Information | Scanned from original drawing in RGB at 200-400 dpi, saved in TIFF format, changed to indexed color, enhanced and resized using Adobe Photoshop, and imported as JPEG2000 using Contentdm software's JPEG2000 Extension. 2006. |
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