A Defender... Chatting... In His Customary Office 1846

Editor: This is Honoré Daumier's, "A Defender... Chatting... In His Customary Office". I’m drawn to the visible lithographic process and how it portrays these men of justice. What strikes you about the piece? Curator: The lithographic print, as a reproducible medium, democratized art and commentary. Daumier’s focus on the judicial system implicates the very means of production in a critique of power. What does their attire, these top hats, suggest about the culture of that time? Editor: I guess it speaks to the professional class and the societal expectations of how people should dress. Curator: Exactly. And consider how the materiality of the print – the ink, paper, and labor – facilitated mass consumption of this social critique. Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't thought about the means of production as part of the commentary itself. Curator: Considering materiality and production methods allows a deeper understanding.