Trois heures

Daumier employed the lithographic process, drawing directly with black crayon onto the stone surface before transferring the image to paper. The handling of line is brisk and economical, emphasizing contours over detail, which creates a sense of movement and slight disorder. The choice of wove paper provides a smooth, uniform ground that accentuates the stark contrast between ink and substrate.

The print emerged from Daumier’s work for satirical journals such as *La Caricature* and *Le Charivari*, where he regularly published political and social caricatures. Though originally intended for a broad readership, the lithograph later entered private collections and museum holdings, reflecting the growing appreciation of Daumier’s contributions to 19th‑century print culture.

Produced amid the aftermath of the July Revolution and the rise of republican sentiment, the work aligns with Daumier’s republican sympathies. By targeting the aristocracy, clergy, and bourgeois manners, the lithograph participates in a broader visual discourse that used humor and exaggeration to critique established power structures during a period of intense political debate in France.