Honoré Daumier is presented as a realist artist who used his work to disseminate social criticism and political protest. Unlike other artists, Daumier was known for his hard-hitting portrayals of society, particularly defending the working class. His art was scrutinized for its subversive intentions, often used to highlight the French government's inadequacies in caring for its people. Daumier, like David before him, used art in a propagandistic and powerful way, and faced imprisonment for inciting revolution and unrest.

The lithograph "Rue Transnonain" from 1834 depicts the aftermath of civil unrest. Following a workers' strike where a civil guard was shot, the remaining guards stormed a housing block, killing all inhabitants. Daumier's artwork captures this tragic scene, showing a dead man atop a child, and other victims. The style is rough and spontaneous, giving the impression that Daumier witnessed the event directly, lending a powerful authenticity to the image that differs from staged, refined paintings.

Daumier's impactful style is largely attributed to his use of lithography, invented in 1796. This printmaking technique involves drawing on a limestone block with a greasy crayon. Ink adheres to the greasy drawing, allowing for quick, spontaneous, and sketch-like prints. Lithography is cost-effective, direct, and immediate, making it popular for capturing urgent social commentaries, as nothing is etched away, and the stone can be reused. This immediacy was crucial for conveying the horrors Daumier documented without a 'staged' effect.

Daumier's painting "Third Class Carriage" (1862) illustrates the plight of the very poor in society, specifically those traveling in third-class train compartments. It serves as a commentary on the displaced and exploited workers created by industrialism. The figures are portrayed with blank, unaware stares, appearing insignificant and downtrodden. Daumier observed that these individuals had grimly accepted their fate, displaying a "dumbly patient" attitude. He believed that the poor should not be complacent but should rise against the injustices of industrialism.