New Year's Day 1852

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier’s "New Year's Day." The lithographic crayon marks suggest a mass-produced image, but the content feels incredibly personal. What can you tell me about its materiality and context? Curator: Notice the stark contrast between the top-hatted figure and the working-class man in his apron. Daumier used lithography, a process allowing for wider distribution, to comment on the socio-economic disparities of 19th-century Paris. How does this influence our understanding of "high" and "low" art forms? Editor: It really highlights how art could serve as a voice for social commentary. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, and by examining the means of its production, we gain insight into Daumier's own labor and critique of the system. Food for thought!