Man bekijkt zijn gezicht in de spiegel 1837

This lithograph was made by Honoré Daumier, a master of the medium, in nineteenth-century France. Lithography involves drawing with a greasy crayon onto a flat slab of limestone, treating the stone chemically so that the image attracts ink and the rest repels it, and then printing the image onto paper. Daumier was a prolific social commentator, and lithography was his chosen weapon. The inherent qualities of the lithographic crayon – its ability to render both delicate lines and broad, shadowy masses – perfectly suited Daumier’s satirical eye. Look closely, and you’ll see how he used the crayon to build up the figure’s form with myriad tiny strokes, creating a sense of depth and texture. The printing process also allowed Daumier to produce images quickly and in large numbers. This was essential for his work as a caricaturist for the popular press, where he skewered the foibles of the bourgeoisie and the political elite. Daumier used his skills to great effect, demonstrating that even a “low” medium like lithography could be used to create powerful and lasting works of art.