Un Surveillant obligé de fermer l'oeil... 1845

Honoré Daumier made this lithograph, with the lengthy title, 'A supervisor forced to close his eyes to the conduct of his students', using a greasy crayon on a stone matrix. This was a printmaking process suited to quick reproduction, perfectly aligned to the burgeoning print market of 19th-century Paris. Daumier was a master of this medium, and it allowed him to produce hundreds of images, mainly for the popular press. Here, Daumier used the lithographic crayon to full effect, creating sharp lines for the teacher's enraged expression, contrasting with the softer, scribbled rendering of the unruly students, and the blank sky above. Daumier used his material to expose the social tensions of his day, focusing on the absurdities of bourgeois life and the struggles of the working class. Here, his print is satirical and critical. The title suggests a commentary on the role of authority and control within the education system. Daumier’s choice of lithography – a mass-produced, accessible medium – underscored his commitment to bringing social critique to a wide audience. It is through such work that we can see how printmaking allowed artists to engage directly with the pressing issues of their time.