![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=http%3A%2F%2Flibbymurphy.com%2Fhumancomedy%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F000%2F032%2F19517992%2Clarge.jpg%3F1382211513&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Flibbymurphy.com%2Fhumancomedy%2Fcontent%2Fmaman-a-ecrit-a-mosieu%2F" title="Maman a écrit à mosieu"%3EMaman a écrit à mosieu%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPaul Gavarni
(French, 1804–1866)
Maman a écrit à mosieu Prosper et papa a vu la lettre... (Mom wrote to Mr. Prosper and dad saw the letter...), 1842
Lithograph
Gift of Eugene L. Garbaty, 1951.79.92
Gavarni’s caption plays on the double meaning of the word faute in French. Here it can mean a lapse in spelling or in virtue.
Maman a écrit à mosieu Prosper et papa a vu la lettre. Ô il était joliment en colère papa ... parceque maman avait fait une faute.
Mom wrote to M. Prosper and dad saw the letter. Oh, he was really angry, dad was, because mom had made a mistake.
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The Human Comedy: Chronicles of 19th-Century France
Maman a écrit à mosieu
Paul Gavarni (French, 1804–1866) Maman a écrit à mosieu Prosper et papa a vu la lettre... (Mom wrote to Mr. Prosper and dad saw the letter...), 1842 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. Garbaty, 1951.79.92
Gavarni’s caption plays on the double meaning of the word faute in French. Here it can mean a lapse in spelling or in virtue.
Maman a écrit à mosieu Prosper et papa a vu la lettre. Ô il était joliment en colère papa ... parceque maman avait fait une faute.
Mom wrote to M. Prosper and dad saw the letter. Oh, he was really angry, dad was, because mom had made a mistake.