Qui aime Bertrand aime son chien c. 19th century

Here, we see "Qui aime Bertrand aime son chien" (Who loves Bertrand, loves his dog) by Honoré Daumier, a lithograph cartoon rendering of two figures at a table with a dog. Dominating the scene are the coarse, scratchy lines which create a sense of volume and texture. Light and shadow play across the forms, casting the figures into high relief against the aged, newspaper-like texture of the background. Daumier uses the structure of the composition, dividing it into clear foreground and background elements to make a statement. The foreground figures are presented in sharp detail, whereas the background is hinted at through rough markings. The cartoon satirizes social hypocrisy through its formal approach. It sets up a visual structure in which the apparent meaning is in tension with its formal presentation. The drawing doesn't just depict a proverb; it embodies a critique, using its form to destabilize conventional understandings of love and loyalty.