Vrouw tussen irissen 1899

Paul Berthon created this color lithograph, Vrouw tussen irissen, using limestone and a printing press. Lithography, a printmaking technique, relies on the chemical repulsion between oil and water. The artist would have drawn the composition onto a flat limestone slab with a greasy crayon, treating the stone so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas, which were then printed onto paper. The resulting image evokes a dreamlike quality, with its soft colors and flowing lines, characteristic of the Art Nouveau style. But consider the labor involved in producing such a print. Each color requires a separate stone, and careful registration is needed to align them. The success of lithography in the late 19th century was tied to the rise of mass media and advertising. It allowed for relatively inexpensive reproductions, making art accessible to a wider audience. Yet, this also meant that skilled artisans were often employed in the service of commercial interests, blurring the lines between art, craft, and industry. The beauty of this print belies the complex social and economic forces at play in its creation.