Kermis en ander vermaak, 1836 1836

Huib van Hove Bz created this print, titled 'Kermis en ander vermaak,' in 1836, using a technique called lithography. Lithography is a printmaking process that relies on the chemical repulsion between oil and water. The artist would have drawn the design on a flat stone surface using a greasy crayon, then treat the stone with acid. Ink, which is also oil-based, adheres only to the drawn areas, allowing the image to be transferred to paper. The delicate lines and tonal variations in this print showcase the skill required to master lithography. The image captures a bustling fair scene, and the surrounding decorative border adds a sense of celebratory abundance. What is interesting here is the way a relatively new technology, lithography, is used to represent a traditional social ritual. The print flattens the experience of the fair, making it reproducible and available for consumption in a new way. It takes a fleeting, embodied event and turns it into a commodity.