L'Assiette au Beurre (literally The Butter Plate, and roughly translating to the English expression pork barrel) was an illustrated French weekly satirical magazine with anarchist political leanings that was chiefly produced between 1901 and 1912. The magazine's caricature and editorial cartoon content was drawn from a varied cadre of illustrator-contributors of many backgrounds and disparite artistic styles. Images were published from original drawings using a zincography, a planographic printing process.
This "Les Souverains" issue, dated August 8, 1901, features wonderful full page caricatures of "the sovereigns" of the era by Portuguese painter and caricaturist Tomás Júlio Leal da Câmara (1876-1948). These include: Emperor of Germany Guillaume II (cover); Abul Hamid II (Sultan of the Ottoman Empire); Nicholas II (Emperor of Russia); Francois-Joseph I (Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire); Leopold II (King of Belgium); Christian IX (King of Denmark), Oscar II (King of Sweden and Norway); Wilhelmine (Queen of the Netherlands); Victor-Emmanuel III (King of Italy); Alphonse XIII (King of Spain); Ranavalo (former Queen of Madagascar); and Paul Kruger (President of the South African Republic-or Transvaal.)
Accompanying the striking images in many cases are terse satirical captions, in French. Quite a remarkable document of the time!
Pages present: cover (301), 302-03, 306-312; 315-16; missing pages 304-305; 313-14. Has been stored in plastic and is in very good vintage condition.
