Baron Carl von Ghega, Austrian railway engineer 1851

Josef Kriehuber made this lithograph of Baron Carl von Ghega, the Austrian railway engineer. Lithography is a printmaking process using a stone or metal plate with a smooth surface. The image is applied with a greasy substance, and then the plate is treated so that only the drawing retains ink, allowing it to be printed. The choice of lithography is significant. It allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction, making images like this accessible to a wider audience. In this context, it speaks to the industrial revolution and the rise of a new kind of hero: the engineer. Ghega, the man who designed the Semmering Railway, was a celebrity of his time. Kriehuber’s print captures Ghega’s self-assuredness. The lithographic technique, with its subtle gradations of tone, lends a sense of realism to the portrait. This print isn't just a picture; it's a document of a changing world. It reflects the growing importance of industry, technology, and the individuals who drove these transformations.