"A Stork was called to the presidency..." from Scenes from the Private and Public Life of Animals 1832 - 1852

This print, "A Stork was called to the presidency..." was made by J. J. Grandville in the 19th century, using the technique of wood engraving. Look closely, and you'll see the intricate network of lines, carefully incised into the woodblock by a skilled artisan. The density and direction of these lines create a range of tonal values, from the deepest blacks of the stork's judicial robes to the delicate grays that define its avian features. Wood engraving is a laborious process, requiring immense patience. In Grandville's time, this method would have been considered a relatively accessible medium for mass production, which democratized the distribution of political satire. The medium, and the act of making it, is inseparable from the work's commentary on labor, power, and class. By paying attention to the materials and the making, we can understand the social and political resonances of this image, pushing beyond traditional distinctions between art and craft.