Portret van Athanase-Charles Coquerel 1848 - 1849

This is a print of Athanase-Charles Coquerel, made by Georges Alexandre Fischer sometime in the mid-19th century. Look closely, and you can see that the image is created from thousands of tiny dots. This is lithography, a process that democratized image-making. Unlike traditional engravings, which required immense skill, lithography allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction. A design is drawn on a stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then treated with acid. When ink is applied, it adheres only to the drawn areas. The image can then be transferred to paper. The effect is somewhere between a drawing and a painting. It is perfect for portraiture. Lithography exploded in popularity during the 1800s, fueling the growth of mass media and advertising. It brought images to a wider audience, and created new opportunities for artists like Fischer. The result is a fascinating intersection of art, technology, and social change. It shows how printmaking democratized image production in ways that continue to resonate today.