Karikatuur van een paar op hun eerste afspraak 1844

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, "Caricature of a Couple on their First Date," using a greasy crayon on a limestone slab. Daumier was one of the great masters of this printmaking technique, which was perfectly suited to the mass production of images for newspapers and magazines. Look closely, and you'll see how he exploits the soft, granular texture of the lithographic stone to create subtle gradations of tone. This allowed for the cheap, easy reproduction of images, and was a key medium for social commentary. The figures themselves are rendered with a caricaturist's eye, exaggerating their features for comic effect. The contrast between the youthful man and his older companion is particularly striking. It's all about the line here – quick, gestural marks that capture the essence of a moment, and the social dynamics of 19th-century France. Daumier’s image is directly tied to issues of labor, politics, and consumption, all made possible by lithography. By understanding the materials and processes used in its creation, we gain a deeper appreciation for both its artistic skill and its social significance.