Advertisement for Philadelphia Sunday Press: Easter 1891 - 1901

This lithographic print, made by George Reiter Brill as an advertisement for the Philadelphia Sunday Press, captures the cultural aesthetics of the early 20th century. Lithography is a printing process that uses a flat stone or metal plate on which the image areas are worked using a greasy substance so that the ink will adhere to them, while the non-image areas are made ink-repellent. Consider how this reproductive process allowed for the wide distribution of imagery, fueling the growth of consumer culture. Brill’s Easter ad cleverly depicts a child emerging from an egg, adorned with a hat and a scarf, gazing into a mirror. Note the sharp lines and flat planes of color characteristic of lithography. This technique was favored for commercial purposes, offering a relatively quick and economical way to produce vibrant images, contributing to the mass visual culture of the time. This advertisement embodies the intersection of artistic technique, mass production, and consumerism.