Amédée de Noé

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Charles Amédée de Noé, known as Cham (Jan. 26, 1818 - Sept. 6, 1879) was a French caricaturist and lithographer. Raised by a family who wished him to attend a polytechnic school, he instead attended painting workshops by Nicolas Charlet and Paul Delaroche and began work as a cartoonist, taking on on the pseudonym "Cham". The name was a pun - a combination of the names "Charles" and "Amédée", and the Jewish name for Ham, son of Noah (Noah in French is Noé).

In 1839 he published his first book, Mr. Lajaunisse, which began a career that would span 40,000 drawings. In 1843 he began to be published in newspapers like Le Charivari, whose staff he was on for thirty years. Later works included Proudhon en voyage and l'Histoire comique de l'Assemblée nationale. He wrote a number of comic plays towards the end of his life.

He was a reclusive figure, preferring to live a quiet life due to a lifelong chest condition. Most of his life was spent in Paris.