Sitzendes und seitlich aufgestütztes Mädchen am Wasser II c. 1922

Otto Mueller made this print, Sitzendes und seitlich aufgestütztes Mädchen am Wasser II, using lithography, a printing process that allows for very direct mark-making. Lithography involves drawing with a greasy crayon onto a stone or metal plate, then treating the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn lines. You can see in the finished print how this process yields a velvety, almost painterly quality, very different than, say, the crisp lines of an etching. It’s interesting to consider the social context of lithography. As a relatively accessible printmaking technique, it became popular in the 19th century for commercial purposes, like posters and advertisements, and this accessibility also meant that artists could use it to create multiple original images at a more affordable price point than painting. Mueller's choice of lithography, therefore, democratized the art, making it available to a wider audience, in contrast to more rarified art objects. By attending to the material and its social history, we gain a richer understanding of Mueller’s artistic choices.