Het gezin va Johan Willem van Vredenburch van Groeneveld en zijn vrouw Maria Adriana van der Pot 1835

This lithograph, depicting the family of Johan Willem van Vredenburch van Groeneveld, was made by Pieter Gerardus Bernhard sometime in the mid-19th century. The printmaking technique of lithography was then still relatively new. Unlike etching or engraving, which require incising an image into a metal plate, lithography is a planographic process. The artist draws with a greasy crayon on a smooth stone, then treats the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. This allowed for a more direct, painterly approach than earlier print methods. Here, Bernhard uses the soft tonality of lithography to create a flattering portrait of the family. The medium lends itself to capturing the textures of their clothing and the subtle gradations of light and shadow on their faces. Lithography also allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images, making art more accessible to a wider audience during the rise of the middle class. Consider this work as an early form of family photograph, memorializing the family of Johan Willem in multiples.