Gesluierde jonge vrouw met een sigaret in haar hand 1844 - 1850

Émile Lassalle made this lithograph of a veiled young woman holding a cigarette in her hand. Lithography, a printmaking technique using a flat stone or metal plate, gained popularity in the 19th century for its ability to reproduce detailed images. The process begins with drawing on the stone or plate with a greasy crayon, followed by treating the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. The stone is then dampened and inked, with the ink repelled by the wet areas and sticking to the greasy image. Finally, paper is pressed against the surface to create the print. The lithographic process allowed artists like Lassalle to produce multiple copies of their work, making art more accessible to a wider audience. This print embodies a tension between fine art and craft, raising questions about labor, class, and the democratization of art through mechanical reproduction. Lassalle challenges traditional boundaries, inviting us to reconsider the value and significance of reproduced imagery.