People we pass 1895

Edward Penfield made this illustration, ‘People we pass,’ as a book cover using the printmaking process of lithography. Penfield applied his design to a flat stone or metal plate with greasy crayon or ink, then treated the surface to hold ink only where the design was. He would then have repeatedly pressed paper against the treated surface, allowing for the design to be multiplied. The flat, graphic style and bold colors owe a debt to Japanese woodblock prints, which were hugely popular at the time. And we see the influence of Japonisme here not only in the aesthetics, but also in the subject matter of the urban street scene. The image presents an array of stylishly dressed individuals, their clothes giving hints about their economic status. What’s fascinating is that Penfield’s print was itself a product of industrialization, a process which transformed cities like New York and created a new culture of mass consumption. This cover would have been rapidly reproduced and distributed, a small part of a much larger economy of images and objects. In short, by exploring its materiality, we begin to see how the work connects with the social and economic fabric of its time.