C'est toujours avec la plus profonde douleur c. 19th century

Here we have 'C'est toujours avec la plus profonde douleur' by Honoré Daumier. The lithograph presents a figure draped in judicial robes, starkly rendered in monochrome. The composition, built on a play of light and shadow, evokes a sense of somber formality. Daumier uses cross-hatching to model form and convey texture, indicative of his ability to draw attention to a scene's underlying structure. The figure's hand placed over their chest, combined with their upward gaze, lends a theatrical air to the scene, hinting at a deeper sense of self. The materiality of lithography allowed Daumier to achieve a distinctive level of detail and tonal variation, which served to emphasize the play between light and shadow. It also invites consideration into the dualities of representation, truth and deception and engages with philosophical ideas about judgment and justice. Ultimately, it presents an experience shaped by the artist's formal choices and material engagement. This artwork functions not just as a statement on justice but also as an invitation to question its very foundations.