Tristesse des bouchers de Paris ... c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier’s lithograph, “Tristesse des bouchers de Paris…,” created around the 19th century. The title translates to “Sadness of the Butchers of Paris, since they forbade them rejoicing." There's a dark humor here, wouldn't you agree? I’m curious, what catches your eye in this print? Curator: What stands out is the depiction of labor and its relationship to societal restrictions. Look at the materials, a lithograph printed for mass consumption. This wasn’t intended as high art, but rather a commentary on the lives of working-class individuals. The title speaks directly to a disruption in their expected merriment; their access to some form of "rejoicing" has been denied. Editor: So you are focusing on the social implications behind the creation and distribution of this artwork? Curator: Precisely. How does the means of production influence the artwork's purpose and meaning? Consider the political cartoons circulating at the time and the labor conditions imposed upon those who fed the capital. Why lithography and not painting or sculpture? This accessibility brings the image to a broader audience and questions existing class hierarchies. Editor: It’s fascinating to think about this piece as not just art, but also a form of social commentary, produced to circulate amongst the very people it depicts. The use of caricature almost seems like a working-class humor that is speaking to an insider. Curator: Precisely. So next time we should consider both artistic technique and its real-world accessibility, revealing the stories woven into the materials themselves, don’t you think? Editor: I definitely will! This has totally shifted how I think about prints and Daumier. Thank you!