Portret van Étienne Aignan 1841 - 1885

This is a portrait of Étienne Aignan, made by Joseph Schubert, using lithography, sometime in the 1800s. Lithography is a printmaking technique, where an image is drawn on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance. Ink adheres to these areas, while the blank parts are treated to repel it. This allows the image to be transferred onto paper. The effect created here is quite remarkable. The use of tiny dots and fine lines shows the hand of the artist, building up tone and texture. It’s a mechanical process, but the result is highly refined. The lithographic process allowed for the relatively quick reproduction of images, making art more accessible. Consider how the material qualities and the printing process contribute to the artwork's meaning, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.