Par-ci, par-là: Le bourgeois est pincé... 1857 - 1858

Paul Gavarni made this lithograph, whose title translates to "Here and There: The Bourgeois is Pinched," in the 19th century. Lithography is a printmaking process that uses a stone or metal plate with a completely smooth surface. The artist draws on the surface with a greasy crayon or ink, which is then chemically fixed so that it will attract ink and repel water. The way Gavarni used this process is very interesting. He drew with assured strokes to convey the subject’s emotional state. The image itself suggests a division of labor, with the working man in the foreground, and the blurred figures of the bourgeoisie in the background. Consider the labor that went into the making of this print: from the quarrying of the lithographic stone to the skilled hand of the artist, to the operation of the printing press itself. By considering these elements, we can see how Gavarni elevates the status of the printmaker to that of a fine artist, while making a social point.