Mon Dieu! Monseigneur, je suis...

Created on a lithographic stone, Daumier employed greasy ink to draw directly onto the slab, then transferred the image onto paper through a press. The medium allows for crisp lines and subtle tonal variations, enabling the artist to render delicate shading in the shadows and the vivid red of the central robe with a level of immediacy characteristic of his socially engaged prints.

First produced in 1837, the lithograph entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to representing 19th‑century French printmaking and Daumier’s role in visual commentary on contemporary society.

During the 1830s Daumier frequently used lithography to critique the political and social climate of post‑revolutionary France. This piece aligns with his broader oeuvre of satirical scenes that expose the tension between public authority and private anxiety, employing humor and drama to engage viewers in the era’s debates.