Tiens! Moi, croyais avoir tué un lapin! ... c. 19th century

Editor: So, this lithograph by Honoré Daumier, from around the 19th century, is titled "Tiens! Moi, croyais avoir tué un lapin!..." It shows a hunter looking surprised by his dog’s actual kill. The texture created through the lithographic process gives it a rough, almost frantic feeling. What do you see in this piece from your perspective? Curator: Looking at this piece, I'm drawn to the implications of its production. Lithography allowed for the relatively mass production of images like this. How does this impact our understanding of the hunting scene depicted? Think about it. Was hunting only for the wealthy landowners? Or could these prints about hunting have also found an audience with a completely different social group? Editor: That’s an interesting point. Because it was a print, did it maybe serve as social commentary on hunting as a sport, perhaps mocking the pretensions of the leisure class? Curator: Exactly! Daumier's choice of lithography as a medium democratizes this "Emotion de Chasse". It brings into question who gets to participate in both the act of hunting, and the consumption of its image. We should not underestimate the agency of the 19th-century working class. Were they consuming these prints uncritically? Or might the print be a source of class commentary, poking fun at hunting as a pastime. Editor: So, you are saying that by understanding the medium and the implied audience, we can appreciate the full scope of the work’s critical lens? Curator: Precisely. Considering the materials and the means of production offers crucial insights. It encourages a more comprehensive and culturally grounded understanding of this seemingly simple hunting scene. Editor: I never considered the printmaking process itself as part of the message. Thank you for highlighting that! Curator: My pleasure! Considering the medium really helps connect the art to its historical context.