In July 2019 we were fortunate to find one of the few original lithographic stones still in existence. This brings the total number of stones listed by the Daumier Register to 28, a very low number compared to the large production of almost 4000 lithographs. The reason for this is that most of the stones had been regularly erased after printing and were repeatedly re-used.

 

The  stone, which we found in a private collection in Germany, is now registered under DR11819. The corresponding lithograph from the Robert Macaire series is DR383, which first appeared in Le Charivari on January 26,1837. In 1838 an album, “Caricaturana” in black and white as well as in colour and on wove paper appeared separately as 2nd state. The stone shown here is the medium used for the printing of the Album.

 

LITHOGRAPHIC STONE DR11819

 

CORRESPONDING LITHOGRAPH DR383