Ten issues appeared as an under the title The Son of Père Duchêne, from April 21 through to May 24, 1871 (descriptions below). The collection was able to illustrate the most striking events of the Commune; its last issue appeared during the Commune's end on the "Bloody Week" (Semaine sanglante) - strikingly, even the very end of the Paris government is depicted in the magazine's last issue.
You expect me to put down my stick ... Have you finished ! First, show me what you're hiding behind your back, little fella!.... [pun on Foutriquet, sobriquet for Thiers ]
Napoléon III as a bat, comparing the weights of Thiers and of the Republic
For governing, always rabid,
Here's my plan: - it's splendid! - I will make both of them fight each other, I am waiting for them to eat each other And when Death has emptied it I will return to Paris..., if I WANT TO ! Napoleon III. Before this cowardly and stupid plan Each of us, with gusto, To this bald monster...smile! [tr.: pun on bat]
A young woman facing Mr. Prudhomme (a bourgeois type) [tr.: "prudent man"], who has the newspaper Le père Duchêne in his hand, wearing a sign around his neck reading :
J. PRUDHOMME
Description
Nose ... ey Parker [tr: actually a similar French pun for "nose" and "merchant"]
Eyes ... of a partridge
Mouth ... shut [tr: similar French pun for "mouth" and "stop-gap"]
Veterans battalion.
- Well, my dear Joseph, you've bitched so much about those little boulevard-women, and here you are then, just like them!... They've wasted a card on you too.
- It's not the same thing, miss, mine is a civic-minded ("civisme") card and yours is a cynical card ("cynisme")!...
The Son of Duchesne, dressed as a Fédéré, with the Commune (as Marianne) who is packing her suitcase. (During la semaine sanglante)
- Well! My dear Commune, what is it you're screwin' around with there?...
- Holy Mother! My cute little Duchêne, I'm packing my trunks...since Mr. Thiers has been screwing me for the past eight days. Only, as you see, I'm not hurrying too much.