Le Jeune Estancelin est obligé de rentrer en classe! 1849

Honoré Daumier created this drawing with graphite on paper, a common combination for the medium of caricature in 19th-century France. Daumier's choice of material is critical here. Graphite allows for quick, precise lines, ideal for capturing the exaggerated features and fleeting expressions of his subjects. The paper, likely newsprint, further emphasizes the artwork's connection to daily life and the world of mass media. See how the softness of the graphite creates a range of tones, from delicate shadows to bold outlines, bringing depth and emotion to the scene. The caricature was at that time a disposable, widely distributed commodity, and a social leveler, much like the newspapers for which Daumier produced his lithographs. By employing the medium of drawing, and reproducing it as such, Daumier democratized this exclusive art, and made it available to a wider audience, and social commentary. It's a powerful reminder that materials and making are never neutral; they always carry cultural and political weight.