Van alles wat / Un peu de tout 1866 - 1902

Franciscus Antonius Beersmans created this print, ‘Van alles wat / Un peu de tout,’ using lithography, a printing process that allows for the mass production of images. It is made with paper and ink. The look of the print, with its simple lines and blocks of color, reflects the relative ease and speed of lithographic production. The success of lithography relied on the division of labor, with skilled draftsmen creating the original image, and printers using mechanical presses to reproduce it on a large scale. Here, lithography democratizes the creation of images, making them accessible to a wider audience. In this way, the print participates in a larger conversation about the role of art in a rapidly industrializing society. By focusing on the materials and making of the print, we can begin to understand its significance beyond its aesthetic qualities. We can understand it as a product of a particular moment in history, shaped by social, economic, and technological forces.