Catamaran and Speel's Owl (Charlotte Chushman and Joseph A. Speel), from The Comic Natural History of the Human Race 1851

This lithograph by Henry Louis Stephens, dating from the mid-19th century, uses a blend of drawing and printmaking. Lithography is a fascinating medium; it democratized image production, making it easier and cheaper to reproduce drawings. Here, Stephens masterfully layers ink to give the image depth, texture, and a sense of volume. Look closely, and you'll see how he uses cross-hatching to create shadows and define the forms of the bizarre hybrid creatures. The image, taken from a series called "The Comic Natural History of the Human Race", is satire, pure and simple. The labor that went into each individual print underscores its value as a collectible, despite its humorous intent. The material process of lithography is key to understanding the social context of this image, too, as it allowed Stephens to reach a wider audience with his pointed commentary on the figures of Charlotte Cushman and Joseph A. Speel.