Impressions et compressions de voyage c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph to comment on the experience of train travel. Lithography is a printmaking process using a flat stone or metal plate. The artist draws on the surface with a greasy medium, then applies ink, which adheres only to the drawn areas. The print is then made by pressing paper against the prepared surface. The choice of lithography is crucial here. Daumier’s lines, hastily drawn, capture the chaotic scene, as passengers are thrown about in a crowded train carriage. The smudgy, grainy quality of the lithographic ink adds to the sense of disorder, and the print medium allowed for mass production and wide distribution of Daumier’s satirical commentary, highlighting the social disruptions brought about by industrialization and modern transportation. By focusing on the material and process of lithography, we gain insight into how Daumier used printmaking to critique the changing world around him. It's a potent reminder that the means of production are never neutral; they shape both the artwork and its message.