Landskab fra Smaaland 1880s

Adolph Kittendorff created this lithograph, "Landskab fra Smaaland", using a printmaking process that democratized image production. Lithography relies on the contrast between greasy and water-receptive areas on a flat stone or metal plate. The artist draws on the surface with a greasy crayon, then treats it with a chemical etch. Ink adheres only to the drawn areas, which are then transferred to paper via a press. Consider the labour involved: from quarrying the limestone, to preparing the surface, to the skilled hand of the artist rendering this serene landscape, all the way to the printing and distribution stages. The lithograph, as a multiple, connects to the wider social issues of labour, politics, and consumption. By understanding its material origins, we can appreciate how the rise of printmaking shaped artistic expression and consumption in the 19th century, allowing for the wider distribution of images of nature.