Un Père qui fait sucer à son fils... 1847

This lithograph was made by Honoré Daumier, using a greasy crayon on a block of limestone. The magic of lithography lies in this chemical process, the way that the grease repels water, allowing ink to adhere only to the drawn areas. But the real magic here is Daumier's sharp social commentary, achieved with an economy of line. The soft, grainy texture of the lithographic crayon gives a smoky, almost dreamlike quality to the scene, which shows a father encouraging his son to drink from a large tankard, while a woman looks on. Daumier used this printmaking technique, which was relatively new at the time, to produce images quickly and in large quantities, reaching a broad audience. In his hands, lithography wasn't just a commercial process, but a powerful tool for social critique. It's a reminder that even the most 'mass-produced' art can carry profound meaning.