Le lecture du charivari c. 19th century

This print, 'Le lecture du charivari', was made by Honoré Daumier, who used lithography - a printmaking process that depends on the antipathy of oil and water. The artist draws an image on a flat stone with a greasy crayon, then treats the stone so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. Daumier was a master of this medium, which lends itself to the bold lines and subtle gradations of tone that you see here. The process was perfect for mass production, a key aspect of the burgeoning print culture in 19th-century France. 'Le Charivari' itself was a satirical newspaper, and Daumier was one of its leading illustrators. What's interesting here is how Daumier uses lithography, a relatively new technology, to comment on the very medium it enables: mass media and its impact on society. The image invites us to consider the social context of reading, information, and the ways in which we consume it. It's a reminder that art, even in its most accessible forms, is always deeply intertwined with the material conditions of its production and reception.