Sylvan Lake, Greenwood Cemetery, in: The New York Drawing Book, Containing a Series of Original Designs and Sketches of American Scenery, No. 2 1847

This print, Sylvan Lake, Greenwood Cemetery, comes from a drawing book by Frances Flora Bond Palmer. Lithography, the process used here, involves drawing an image with a greasy crayon on a stone or metal plate, then using oil and water to transfer the design onto paper. The appeal of lithography in the 19th century lay in its capacity for mass production. This print is part of a series meant for instructional purposes, allowing amateur artists to copy and learn from Palmer’s compositions. The texture of the lithographic crayon gives the scene a soft, almost hazy quality, perfectly suited to the romantic mood. While Palmer was a successful artist, lithography was often seen as a commercial trade, less prestigious than painting or sculpture. Yet, it provided a livelihood for many artists and allowed for the wider dissemination of images, democratizing art in a way. Considering the materials and the mode of production helps us appreciate Palmer's work, not just as a landscape, but as a product of its time, reflective of the changing status of art and labor.