Dites donc, président, impossible d'attraper un lièvre... 1849

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, "Dites donc, président, impossible d'attraper un lièvre..." using a greasy crayon on limestone. This process allowed Daumier to capture subtle gradations of tone and fine lines, essential for caricature. Daumier was a master of this medium, and here, he skillfully used it to depict two figures, likely a politician and a hunter, engaged in a tense encounter. Lithography was key to the rise of mass media in the 19th century, allowing for the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images for newspapers and journals. In Daumier's hands, this technology became a powerful tool for social commentary. The lines of the drawing may seem spontaneous, but were carefully calculated to convey a sense of moral outrage. Daumier transformed a commercial process into a medium for artistic expression. By understanding lithography's role in both art and social critique, we gain a deeper appreciation of his work.