Interview with The Viceroy of Egypt, at His palace at Alexandria. May 12th, 1839. 1846 - 1849

David Roberts created this print, "Interview with The Viceroy of Egypt," in 1839, employing lithography, a printmaking technique using a flat stone or metal plate. The process begins with drawing an image on the surface with a greasy substance. The stone is then treated so that the ink adheres only to the drawn areas, allowing for multiple impressions. Look closely and you can see the subtle textures and tones achieved through this method, mimicking the effect of a watercolor painting. Lithography was revolutionary because it enabled the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images, making art more accessible to a wider audience. In this context, the print served as a visual document of a historical encounter between the British and Egyptian powers. The ships in the harbor, rendered with precision, remind us of the industrialized world and Britain's imperial reach. By appreciating the materials and the process of lithography, we understand the democratization of art, and the dissemination of images of power and influence in the 19th century.