Maréchal Bugeaud 1849

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph of Maréchal Bugeaud using a greasy crayon on a block of Bavarian limestone. This printmaking technique, a relatively new technology at the time, allowed artists to create multiple copies of an original design. Daumier was a master of the medium, exploiting its graphic potential to great effect. The velvety blacks and subtle gradations of tone achieved through lithography lend a sense of immediacy to the image, as if we are witnessing a candid moment rather than a carefully constructed portrait. This is how Daumier captured the essence of Bugeaud's character, emphasizing his arrogance and pomposity. The choice of lithography also has social significance, as this medium was often associated with the mass production of images for newspapers and popular culture. By employing lithography, Daumier democratized portraiture, making it accessible to a wider audience and challenging the traditional hierarchies of art. It invited mass critique.