Collection Online as of March 4, 2021
The Genius of Lithography
Nicolas Henri Jacob
(French, 1782-1871)
Crayon lithograph with brush and scratchwork
Support: Medium weight wove paper
Sheet: 26.7 x 19.9 cm (10 1/2 x 7 13/16 in.); Image: 19 x 16.3 cm (7 1/2 x 6 7/16 in.)
Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland 1999.39
Catalogue raisonné: Inv. du fonds français après 1800 Vol. XI.72.13
Location
not on view
Description
The Genius of Lithography celebrates the new printmaking technique (invented in 1798) that revolutionized illustration and enabled the reproduction of images at a reasonable cost, since numerous impressions can be printed from the lithographic stone. Artists liked the medium's flexibility: while rich blacks could be achieved for shadows, and every tone of gray was possible, a sharp point could scratch white highlights into dark areas.