Honoré Daumier (1808–1879) was a prolific French artist known for his powerful social and political satire through more than 4,000 lithographs, paintings, and sculptures. His career was defined by his biting caricatures of political figures and the middle class, but he also created poignant social commentary, such as the famous 1834 print Rue Transnonain, which depicted a massacre of civilians. Daumier's work was deeply influential, and he became a key figure in movements like Realism and was an advocate for freedom of the press.