Souvenir du grand festival des orphéonistes c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, entitled "Souvenir du grand festival des orphéonistes." Daumier was a master of this printmaking process, which involves drawing on a flat stone with a greasy crayon, then treating the surface with chemicals so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. The resulting image, when printed, has a velvety, almost painterly quality. The image itself shows a vast choir in full voice. Look closely, and you’ll notice how Daumier uses the lithographic crayon to suggest the sheer mass of faces, each rendered with quick, expressive strokes. He captures the energy of a large group of people united in song. But the print also has a satirical edge. Daumier was known for his social commentary, and here, he seems to be poking fun at the grandiosity of the occasion, perhaps highlighting the somewhat forced enthusiasm of the singers. Daumier understood the power of a single image, quickly and efficiently reproduced, to capture a moment and convey a message, blurring the line between art and social critique.