Galerie latérale d'un temple de Pestum 1822

Jean-Baptiste Isabey made this lithograph of a temple in Pestum. A lithograph is a print made from a stone matrix. It’s a relatively quick process compared to etching or engraving, and was a popular technique for disseminating images in the 19th century. In this case, the soft grey tones of the print nicely evoke the monumental stone architecture. You can see the granular texture, the artist must have rubbed the lithographic crayon across the surface to achieve this effect. But think for a moment about the original temple in Pestum. Every one of those massive stone blocks had to be quarried, dressed, and lifted into place. That required an enormous amount of labor, and the effort of many hands, now lost to history. It is worth considering the enormous amount of work involved in the production process. This print is a quick impression, yet in its own way, it commemorates that ancient work. It reminds us that every object, from a humble print to a towering temple, is born of human effort.