The Defender 1865

"The Defender" is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, created in 1865. The artwork depicts a courtroom scene, with a lawyer in the foreground passionately addressing the jury. Daumier's characteristic style of caricature and social commentary is evident in the exaggerated features and gestures of the figures, highlighting the tensions of the trial. The scene is set in a dimly lit courtroom, with the audience's faces blurred in the background, creating a sense of drama and suspense. This lithograph, now housed in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, exemplifies Daumier's focus on the complexities of justice and the human condition.