Jong meisje met een vogel op haar schouder 1845

This print of a young girl with a bird, was made by Bernard Romain Julien in the 1800s. The printmaking technique used is called lithography. It's a fascinating process: the artist draws on a flat stone with a greasy crayon, then the stone is treated so that ink only sticks to the drawn areas. What's great about lithography is that it allows for soft, subtle gradations of tone, perfect for capturing the girl's gentle expression and the delicate feathers of the bird. But it's also a process that democratizes image-making. Unlike engraving, which requires highly specialized skills, lithography opened up printmaking to a wider range of artists and, crucially, allowed for larger print runs. This image speaks to the burgeoning market for sentimental imagery in the 19th century, where prints like this one could be widely distributed and enjoyed by a growing middle class. So, while it may seem like a simple portrait, this print is also a product of a changing social landscape, where art and craft were becoming increasingly intertwined with industry and commerce.