"Hang it all! I thought I killed a rabbit!" 1857

Curator: This print, by Honoré Daumier, is titled "Hang it all! I thought I killed a rabbit!" and it certainly captures a moment of surprise. Editor: The rough, almost frenzied lines definitely convey a sense of startled chaos. What's happening with the materials here? I see lithography. Curator: Yes, Daumier masterfully utilizes lithography to create a caricature that reflects the social anxieties of the time, a kind of bourgeois hunting mishap. Editor: Look at the hunter’s clothing. Its texture— rendered through the lithographic process— tells a story of class and labor, doesn't it? The dog as well seems weighted by his catch. Curator: Absolutely, and it's not just about class, but also the relationship between humans and the environment, particularly the disruption of nature. Editor: It’s a reminder of the social fabric underlying even leisure activities. I appreciate how the materials help to highlight those tensions. Curator: Indeed, it makes us consider the complex layers within a seemingly simple hunting scene.