Le vol au renfoncement c. 19th century

This lithograph, "Le vol au renfoncement", was created by Honoré Daumier in 19th-century France, using the then-new medium of lithography. The process begins with a smooth slab of limestone. Daumier would have drawn directly onto the stone with a greasy crayon, allowing him to achieve the rich tonal range and subtle textures we see here. The stone is then treated with chemicals so that the ink adheres only to the drawn areas. Finally, it is printed onto paper. Lithography was perfectly suited to Daumier’s project of social commentary, allowing him to produce images quickly and in large numbers, commenting on the life of working-class Parisians, and making his work accessible to a wide audience. The material and the technique are thus completely aligned with the artist's political project. They are inseparable from the content of the image itself.