Je crois que c'est un lièvre... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, "Je crois que c'est un lièvre..." using a greasy crayon on a slab of limestone. The medium itself—originally used for mass production—is crucial to understanding Daumier's work. The lithographic process allowed him to create images that were both reproducible and deeply expressive. The velvety blacks and nuanced grays achieved through this method imbue the scene with a sense of immediacy, as though capturing a fleeting moment. Daumier’s use of line is particularly striking; it’s economical yet conveys a wealth of information, from the texture of the hunter’s clothing to the frantic energy of the fleeing hare. This print comes from a larger series poking fun at contemporary society. In this case, Daumier critiques the pretensions of the bourgeoisie, who are here comically rendered as hapless hunters. The accessibility of lithography allowed Daumier to reach a wide audience, challenging traditional artistic hierarchies and bringing social critique into the realm of popular culture. For Daumier, the print was a form of artistic expression that merged craft, social commentary, and political engagement.