The Engraving Dealers 

Honoré Daumier created 'The Engraving Dealers' using oil paint, likely in the mid-19th century. The material itself speaks of that time, with its muted palette and visible brushstrokes, which are hallmarks of the Realist movement. The scene suggests a bustling urban environment, with figures crowded around a shop window displaying engravings. But look closer. The way Daumier has handled the paint—thick, almost muddy—imparts a sense of labor, mirroring the work that went into producing the prints themselves. Engravings were a key means of reproducing images, making art accessible to a wider public. Yet, this accessibility was built on the backs of skilled artisans, whose labor often went unacknowledged. Daumier, through his deliberate application of paint, reminds us of the social and economic realities underpinning the art world. He blurs the lines between high art and the labor-intensive processes that make it possible.