She went along, and went along, and went along 1927

Arthur Rackham made this illustration, "She went along, and went along, and went along", using watercolor and ink. Rackham, like many illustrators, relied on commercial printing, a fascinating technology emerging in the late 19th century that changed the way images were consumed. Before this, reproduction was a laborious craft. Each print was essentially a handmade object. But with new methods, images could be mass-produced and widely disseminated. The printing process deeply affects the nature of the work, notice how Rackham’s delicate lines are transformed into a dense network of dots by the printing press. It’s a technique that allowed images to become far more democratic, reaching larger audiences than ever before. Rackham was part of a world in which advancements in printmaking shaped the visual landscape. By understanding the materials and methods, we can see how wider issues of labor, technology, and consumption come into play. In this way, we can expand our understanding of art history, and challenge distinctions between high art and craft.