Qui veut de la couronne de Bysance?
1855
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1855
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This lithograph shows a scruffy man in torn clothes reaching for a crown held by a fussy nobleman. Their faces twist into wild grins and frowns. The scene feels like a joke about power and who deserves it. Daumier loved mocking politicians and kings. He used sharp lines and big expressions to make people laugh and think. This print feels like a cartoon that got too real. Look up lithography—it’s printing with greasy ink on stone.
