Politicus beledigt zijn collega na een discussie 1850

Honoré Daumier created this lithograph, titled "Politicus beledigt zijn collega na een discussie", using ink and crayon on stone. The image is then printed on paper. Lithography is an interesting process – the artist draws on a flat stone with a greasy crayon, then treats the stone so that ink only sticks to the drawn areas. It allows for a range of tonal effects, as you can see in the shading of the politicians’ faces and clothing. Daumier was a master of this technique, and he used it to produce biting social commentary. The very nature of lithography, as a reproductive medium, meant that his images could reach a wide audience through newspapers and journals. In this print, the artist critiques the political elite by showing them as ridiculous and petty. The skill involved in lithography shouldn't be overlooked. It’s a craft that requires both artistic skill and technical know-how, something that Daumier clearly had in abundance. It allowed him to use mass production for the purpose of social critique, blurring the lines between art, craft, and political activism.