"It seems as if they have sighted the Sea Serpent again..." 1846

Editor: Daumier's lithograph, "It seems as if they have sighted the Sea Serpent again...", uses dense hatching to capture a moment of bourgeois astonishment. The printmaking process allowed for mass production. What does this accessibility say about the work's reception? Curator: Mass production is key. Daumier's lithographs were made for newspapers, directly engaging with public opinion and the consumption of news. The relatively cheap production mirrors the accessibility of information, but also speaks to the potential exploitation of the artist's labor. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the relationship between cost and commentary. Curator: Indeed, the material conditions of its creation are just as crucial as its satirical content. It makes you wonder who truly benefits from such readily available art and information.