Soldier carrying a clyster on his back. Carved and polychrome wood. 19th century. H_46 cm L_21.2 cm, accident to a moulding forming the frame. Since Molière, the clyster has often been used to illustrate licentious scenes in 18th-century iconography. In the 19th century, the pharmaceutical instrument became a source of inspiration for political satire.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.