“- Taxi Monsieur? Taxi? - I don't even have enough to walk,” plate 8 from Émotions De Parisiens 1839

This is plate 8 from Honoré Daumier's "Émotions Parisiennes," created using lithography. Immediately, the linear quality of the lithographic lines catches the eye, defining the figures and their environment with stark simplicity. The composition, divided vertically, stages a silent encounter between two Parisians. On the left, a slender man in formal attire stands in contrast to the stout cab driver on the right, creating a visual dialogue of socio-economic disparities. The cross-hatching technique brings texture to the figures. It emphasizes the contrast between the figures and the city in the background. The use of hatching technique adds depth and tonal variation. Daumier uses the formal elements of line and form to critique the class distinctions of 19th-century Paris. Notice how the lithographic lines not only depict but also dissect the social fabric of the time. The stark contrasts and meticulous details reflect an interest in revealing societal structures.