Auch ein Todtentanz: Text Page 1849

This text page, by Alfred Rethel, is one component of a larger series of prints titled, *Auch ein Todtentanz*. The printed text employs the craft of typography, a process involving the arrangement and printing of letterforms that industrialized the act of writing. As a result, each page becomes easily reproducible, and therefore the message inscribed more widely disseminated. This mode of production allowed for the artist’s message to be shared beyond the elite. The texture and weight of the paper, combined with the crispness of the ink, further enhance the reading experience, emphasizing the gravity and artistry embedded in these hand-pressed pages. Rethel’s engagement with the craft of printmaking speaks to the convergence of art, design, and industry in the 19th century. It challenges the perception of printmaking as merely utilitarian, elevating it to a medium capable of expressing complex social and political ideals.