Le batelier d'Anvers / De Antwerpsche schipper 1833 - 1911

This is 'The Skipper of Antwerp', made by Brepols & Dierckx from an unknown date. It is a chromolithograph - that is, a color print made using lithographic stones. The process begins with an image drawn onto a flat stone, treated with chemicals to attract ink. Each color requires a separate stone, meticulously aligned. It was a commercially viable medium, often used for advertising and illustration, which democratized image production. The story unfolds in comic strip form, a sequence of colorful panels showing the skipper and his adventures. The lines are crisp, and the colors vibrant. The texture is smooth, reflecting the industrial printing process. The lithographic technique, though "mechanical," still required skilled artisans to execute, bridging the gap between fine art and mass production. This print is evidence of the changing landscape of visual culture, a time when images became more accessible and intertwined with commerce. It shows how these processes were tied to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption, and the division of labor involved in the production process.