“- You know my dear, you'll never believe this, but I think I would love to have some horse-meat for dinner tonight! - There we go.... my wife must be pregnant!,” plate 1 from Ces Bons Bourgeois 1856

This lithograph, plate one from *Ces Bons Bourgeois*, was made by Honoré Daumier in the mid-19th century. Lithography is a printmaking process that depends on the resistance between grease and water. The artist draws an image on a flat stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then applies water to the surface. The water adheres only to the non-greasy areas, and when ink is applied, it sticks only to the greasy areas, allowing the image to be printed. Daumier was a master of this technique. The quick, sketchy quality perfectly suits his satirical wit. He could produce images quickly and in large numbers, which was essential for his work as a caricaturist for popular newspapers. Look closely, and you can see how the lithographic crayon allowed Daumier to create a range of tones and textures, from the solid blacks of the man’s hat and coat to the delicate shading of the woman’s face. This print wasn't just about art. It was a means of mass communication, a way for Daumier to comment on the social and political issues of his day, and to reach a wide audience with his critical observations.