To pay these, Philipon instituted a Print of the Month program that raised money through the sale of lithographs. In 1835 strict censorship laws were imposed, and political commentary became not only dangerous but highly illegal. Daumier, who had spent six months in jail because of an early drawing, joined his fellows in turning to social satire. There was much to satirize. The cameraman is in a balloon, zealously photographing Paris, which is plastered with photographers' advertising signs.
Caricature continues to flourish and drawing skills slip from favor only to return.
Classical literature gets a good natured put-down in each of these beautifully colored works. A sturdy Helen carries off cigar-smoking Paris in her own arms, and Penelope looks amorously at Ulysses, home at last, but fast asleep. With the exception of a few loans from private collections, all the prints are from the Museum's own holdings. Kristin Spangenberg, curator of works on paper, is pleased with the quality of the works on view and mentions particularly several examples of text-free proof prints on white paper, printed in small numbers for collectors at the time of publication. She notes that color throughout the show was done by hand and is contemporary with the prints.