Identity:

Charles Albert d'Arnoux was a printmaker, designer and caricaturist, who worked under the pseudonym of 'Bertall'.

Life:

D'Arnoux studied under Michel-Martin Drolling, but turned to illustration and caricature, probably under the influence of Honoré de Balzac, who also suggested that d'Arnoux use the letters of his first name to form a pseudonym. D'Arnoux's publications include Les Omnibus, pérégrinations burlesques à travers tous chemins (1843) and Comédie de notre temps (3 vols; 1874-80). He also illustrated Balzac's Petites misères de la vie conjugale (1845) and the 20-volumed Oeuvres complètes de Balzac (1842-55), as well as the works of James Fenimore Cooper, Paul de Kock and Alphonse Karr, produced for the series Romans populaires illustrés, published by Barba. From 1855 until the mid 1860s he collaborated with the photographer Hippolyte Bayard to produce cartes-de-visite. He also contributed to journals such as Le Journal pour rire, Le Journal amusant, L'Illustration and Le Magasin pittoresque. From 1869 to 1870 he edited Le Soir, and in 1871 he founded the satirical journal Le Grelot. He received the Croix de la Légion d'honneur in 1875.

Bibliography:

'Charles Albert d'Arnoux', The Grove Dictionary of Art Online, ed. L. Macy, http://www.groveart.com (accessed 07 July 2003).