Portret van A. Mulder 1842 - 1887

This is a portrait of A. Mulder, made anonymously using a method called lithography. Lithography is a printmaking technique that relies on the contrast between oily and water-based substances. The artist would have drawn the image on a flat stone or metal plate using a greasy crayon, then treated the surface so that ink only adheres to the drawn areas. The print is then made by pressing paper against the inked surface. The lithographic process allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images, making it a popular choice for portraits like this one. What's fascinating here is that this reproductive method democratized image-making, moving away from unique, hand-painted portraits accessible only to the wealthy, towards something more widely available. This shift mirrors broader social changes, where industrial methods began to impact art and representation. So, looking at this print, consider it not just as an image of an individual, but as a product of a changing world, where art and industry began to intersect, challenging traditional notions of value and access.