Probité chinoise c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, titled “Chinese Probity,” using a greasy crayon on a smooth stone. That simple tool allowed him to create a complex range of textures, from dense black lines to delicately shaded areas. As a lithograph, the image is not unique; it's one of many identical prints that could be made from the stone before the image degraded. This speaks to the rise of mass media in the nineteenth century, where images could be widely distributed and consumed, especially in newspapers and magazines. Daumier used this process to make a political statement. The scene depicts a Chinese bankruptcy hearing, and its subject matter is decidedly political, addressing contemporary views of China with a critical eye. In a time of increasing industrialization and economic instability, this image serves as a reminder of the human cost of unchecked capitalism, and the artist has created an enduring work of social commentary.