Zes portretten van hoofden van veiligheid bij de Parijse politie before 1890

This page, featuring six portraits of Parisian police chiefs, was printed with ink on paper. The lithographic process allowed for the reproduction of images and text in a relatively efficient way. Consider the qualities of this printing method; the ink sits slightly raised on the surface of the page, creating a subtle texture. The ink's color, a muted black and white, contributes to the document's somber tone. The process of printing these portraits would have involved skilled labor, from the preparation of the lithographic stone to the operation of the printing press. As a mass production, we can reflect on the political dimensions of labor and power in the nineteenth century. The lithographic print, as a relatively affordable medium, democratized access to imagery, but also served the interests of the state, disseminating the images of those in authority. It's a reminder that even seemingly simple objects are deeply embedded in wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption.