"We are going to incise the muscles, saw the bones, in a word, heal the sick" from Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals 1832 - 1852

This lithograph was created by J.J. Grandville, using a printing process that allowed images to be reproduced and distributed widely in the 19th century. The technique involves drawing with a greasy crayon on a stone, which is then treated with chemicals so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas before being printed onto paper. Looking closely, you can see the dense network of fine lines that create the image. This level of detail speaks to Grandville's skill as a draughtsman, but also to the efficiency of lithography, enabling such intricate work to be replicated at scale. The result is a satire of the medical profession, represented here by anthropomorphic animals. The choice of lithography as a medium, and the distribution of the print through publications, positions this artwork within the burgeoning print culture of the time. The print's availability to a broad audience challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and popular imagery, inviting us to consider how social commentary can be embedded in accessible, mass-produced formats.