A Neighbor Whom Complains about Someone Who Waters His Turf 1846

Editor: This is a lithograph by Honoré Daumier, titled "A Neighbor Whom Complains about Someone Who Waters His Turf." I find the cross-hatching technique fascinating. What stands out to you about Daumier's process here? Curator: Consider the mass production of lithographs at this time. It's a commentary on the burgeoning middle class and their anxieties, facilitated by new printing technologies. The material conditions of its creation are as important as the image itself. What social critique do you think the artist is trying to convey? Editor: Perhaps a criticism of petty bourgeois concerns, given the means of production made art accessible to this social class. Curator: Precisely. The act of printing, of distribution, becomes part of the message. Understanding the process gives us a deeper insight into the artwork's meaning. Editor: That's a great point; I hadn't considered the printing process as an extension of the social commentary itself!