Petits! petits! petits!!!!, from Le Charivari 1830 - 1840

This lithograph, made by Delaunois in nineteenth-century France, uses humble materials to make a pointed statement. Lithography is a printmaking process using a flat stone or metal plate on which the image areas are worked using a greasy substance so that the ink will adhere to them, while the non-image areas are made ink-repellent. The stark monochrome and the linear quality, are typical of the medium, and enhance the image's satirical tone. The social context is clear: two men are shown reading newspapers filled with political "tidbits," as the title "Petits! petits! petits!" suggests. The artist's technique involves a directness that cuts through the pretensions of high society. The use of lithography, a relatively accessible and reproducible medium, democratizes the image, allowing for wider circulation of its critical message. This piece blurs the lines between fine art and social commentary, using its material form to amplify its cultural significance.