Sortez!... (Bajazet) 1841

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, "Sortez!... (Bajazet)," in the 19th century. Here, Daumier uses lithography, a process where an image is drawn on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, and then printed. The beauty of lithography is in its directness; the artist's hand is immediately present. You can almost see Daumier sketching rapidly, capturing the expressions of these figures with just a few well-placed lines. The material qualities of the lithographic crayon allow for rich blacks and subtle greys, enhancing the satirical tone of the work. The rapid, sketch-like quality suggests the urgency and immediacy of newspaper production, and the rise of mass media. Daumier, a master of this medium, used it to comment on the social and political issues of his time, often targeting the bourgeoisie with his sharp wit. This print isn't just ink on paper; it’s a direct line to 19th-century French society, revealing its pretensions and absurdities through the critical lens of mass production.