Letters N, O, P en Q 1829 - 1880

This is a print by Joseph Scholz, made using a technique called lithography. It allowed for relatively quick reproduction, and was often used for educational purposes, like this alphabet sheet. Look closely, and you’ll see the fine, even texture that results from printing on a flat stone surface. The artist would have drawn each letter and corresponding scene on the stone with a greasy crayon, then treated it chemically so that ink only adhered to the drawn areas. Pressing the paper against the stone transferred the image. Color was added by using multiple stones for each sheet. The evenness of the print suggests mass production, a sign of increasing industrialization. Yet, each sheet would still have required skilled hand labor. Scholz's prints like this one reflect the changing relationship between handcraft and industrial production in the 19th century. By examining the process of its making, we can understand the social and economic forces at play in its creation.