This series of 24 engravings is probably the best-known of Frédillo’s output, being sold widely throughout the 1880s and 90s. Their popularity is unsurprising – the quality of the engraving is excellent, and the wit and imagination some of the best of the period.

Each has a caption explaining the scene; both image and text are well worth examining in detail. Here are the texts together with their English translation:

La correction maternelle (Motherly Punishment), a favourite Frédillo subject

1.   Frontispièce (Frontispiece)
2.   Un incendie dans un bordel (A fire in a brothel)
3.   Un record raté (A failed record)
4.   Parfait accord avant la représentation (Perfect agreement before the performance)
5.   Au théâtre réaliste, le flagrant délit, 3ème acte (Realistic theatre, the flagrante delicto, third act)
6.   Chez le camarade absent (At the absent friend’s house)
7.   Pulchérie & Isidore Torcagneux (apparently a reference to a contemporary scandal of which no record survives)
8.   Hommage au vainqueur (Tribute to the winner)
9.   Avons saisi: dito, un bidet et ses accessoires (Upon entering, a bidet and its accessories)
10. Les amateurs de paysages (Lovers of the countryside)
11. Répétition spéciale offerte à la presse (Special rehearsal for the press)
12. On demande un troisième (We request a third)
13. Gagné d’une longueur de queue (Won by a tail)
14. Duel à mort entre gougnottes (Duel to the death between lesbians)
15. Article 330 & suivants du Code Penal (Article 330 and following of the Penal Code: Anyone who commits public indecency will be punished with imprisonment of three months to two years)
16. La dernière invention d’Edison (Edison’s latest invention)
17. A la dérive (Drifting)
18. Crie: Arrache moi les cheveux tant que to voudras, il faut que tu y passes (Him: ‘You can pull my hair as much as you want, but you still have to submit’)
19. Mesdames, vite en scene, le 3ème est commencé! Ah! Zut! (Ladies, quickly on stage, the third act has started! Ah! Damn!)
20. A Montmartre: ‘Tiens, Salope, t’auras ta flaupée. Ah! To vas avec Liline au lieu de turbiner, et pas d'oseille pour Polyte’ (In Montmartre: ‘Hey, bitch, you will be beaten. Ah! you can go with Liline instead of being punished – no birch for Polyte’)
21. Une leçon d’histoire naturelle (A lesson in natural history)
22. La grande attaque histérique (période de clownisme) (The great hysteria attack (in the time of clowning))
23. Couronnement de la fille-mère (Coronation of the unwed mother)
24. Vide! (E finità la comedia) (Empty! (The end of the comedy))