Potentiële koper meet schilderij op van kunstenaar 1846

This print was made by Honoré Daumier, who was active in France in the 19th century. He used lithography, a printmaking technique that relies on the drawn mark. Daumier was a master of this medium, and here, he uses it to brilliant satirical effect. Look at the "potential buyer" of the painting, meticulously measuring its dimensions. We can imagine Daumier drawing this image onto a lithographic stone with greasy crayon, capturing the man’s fussy, self-important demeanor. The very act of printmaking is relevant here. Lithography was a relatively inexpensive means of production, well-suited for journalistic applications. Daumier originally published this image in a newspaper called Le Charivari, where it would have been seen by a wide audience. Daumier was deeply invested in the lives of ordinary people, and he used his art to comment on the social and political issues of his day. This print is a sharp critique of the bourgeoisie, whom he saw as obsessed with material possessions and social status. It reminds us that art is always embedded in a specific social context, reflecting the values and concerns of its time.