Renouvelé des petites Danaides c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, titled "Renouvelé des petites Danaides," using a printing process that allowed for relatively quick reproduction and distribution. The image depicts European leaders futilely attempting to fill a barrel labeled "Treaties of 1815," a commentary on the failed efforts to establish lasting peace after the Napoleonic Wars. Daumier's choice of lithography is significant. Unlike traditional fine art techniques, lithography enabled mass production of images, making them accessible to a wider audience. The process involves drawing on a stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then treating the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. Daumier’s use of this medium underscores the work's political message, bringing attention to the futility of the leaders' actions. The rough, grainy texture of the lithograph enhances the sense of labor and struggle, reflecting the Sisyphean task of maintaining a false European equilibrium. Ultimately, the choice of materials and making in "Renouvelé des petites Danaides" is crucial to understanding its social critique, highlighting the contrast between high political ideals and the gritty reality of European power dynamics.