Il y a la guerre... les loyers vont... diminuer... 1859

This lithograph, "Il y a la guerre... les loyers vont... diminuer..." was made by Honoré Daumier using a greasy crayon on lithographic limestone. Daumier was a master of this printmaking technique, and it allowed him to quickly create images for mass consumption. The material of lithography lends itself well to Daumier’s subject matter: social commentary. Lithography was a relatively inexpensive method of printmaking which made his works accessible to a wide audience. The quick, sketch-like quality of the crayon on stone mirrors the urgency of the political climate in 19th century France. It is the perfect medium for satire. Daumier used the immediacy of lithography to deliver images to a mass audience, implicating printmaking in the very systems of labor, politics, and consumption that he critiqued. His prints are a reminder that even the most seemingly straightforward media can be powerful tools for social change. They underscore the importance of considering materials, making, and context, breaking down traditional boundaries between art and craft.