Eh! Ben ... puisque vous voulez qu' les bouchers ... c. 19th century

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, titled "Eh! Ben ... puisque vous voulez qu' les bouchers ...," using ink on paper. Daumier was a master of lithography, a printmaking technique that democratized image production during the 19th century. Here, the stark black lines vividly depict a butcher shop, complete with hanging meat, a stern butcher, and a concerned customer. The lithographic process, with its ability to capture fine details and tonal variations, enhances the scene's gritty realism. The rough texture of the paper adds to the work's immediacy, almost as if we're eavesdropping on a tense negotiation. Daumier used this accessible medium to address the socio-political climate of his time, highlighting the everyday struggles of ordinary people in a rapidly changing world. The print underscores how the simple act of buying meat was fraught with social tension. Daumier's use of lithography transforms the act of printmaking into a powerful tool for social commentary, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and political activism.