A satirical 1831 lithograph by Denis-Auguste-Marie Raffet, depicting a scene of anticlerical mockery published in the journal La Caricature.

This lithograph by Denis-Auguste-Marie Raffet, titled L'Archevêque a toujours été farceur, appeared in the satirical journal La Caricature in 1831. Raffet was a prolific draughtsman and lithographer, known for his military subjects and his contributions to the French satirical press during the July Monarchy. The image depicts a scene of anticlerical mockery, common in the political discourse of the period following the 1830 Revolution.

The composition shows a group of soldiers or revolutionaries rummaging through an ecclesiastical space. A central figure, dressed in military attire, holds up a piece of women's undergarment with a mocking expression, suggesting a scandalous discovery intended to discredit the clergy. The surrounding figures react with laughter and derision. The floor is littered with papers and religious objects, indicating a scene of ransacking or investigation. Raffet uses the medium of lithography to achieve a range of tonal values, from the deep shadows of the interior to the crisp details of the uniforms and the scattered debris.

As a piece of political satire, the work reflects the tensions between the secular revolutionary spirit and the established church in early nineteenth-century France. Raffet captures the irreverent tone of the era, using caricature to challenge authority. The print serves as a historical document of the visual language employed by the opposition press to shape public opinion. The artist's ability to render character and narrative within a single frame demonstrates his technical skill and his role as a commentator on the social and political climate of his time.