Leaves III 1967 

Jean-Paul Riopelle made Leaves III in 1967 using lithography, a printmaking process involving ink and stone. The image is a dense cluster of strokes rendered in black and shades of red. Look closely, and you’ll see that the material and process lend a remarkable texture to the work. Lithography involves drawing on a stone with a greasy crayon, then treating the stone so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. The stone is then pressed against paper, transferring the image. This method allowed Riopelle to achieve a layered effect, almost like a thicket of brushstrokes. But unlike painting, printmaking allows for multiples. This brings up interesting questions about labor and value. How does the mechanical nature of printmaking influence our perception of the artist’s hand? And how does the potential for mass production affect the work’s status as a unique, valuable object? These are questions worth considering as you continue to explore the intersection of art, craft, and industry.