Paganini moderne ...
1841
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1841
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The lithograph shows a violinist mid-play, hunched over his instrument. His coat is a blur of lines, but his hands are sharp and focused. The background fades into streaks, so all we notice is the musician and his music. Daumier loved mocking fancy people, but here he just shows real skill. He made this with greasy crayon on stone—then ink sticks where the crayon was. That trick lifts the violinist right off the page. Want to see how this trick works? Look up lithography.
