Portret van Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi 1806

This portrait of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was made with lithography, a printmaking process that democratized image production. It allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction. Unlike etching or engraving, where lines are incised into a metal plate, lithography uses a flat stone or metal plate. The artist draws on the surface with a greasy crayon, then the stone is treated so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. This print was likely made by an artisan working in a print shop, reproducing an original drawing of Pestalozzi. Consider the labor involved: from quarrying the limestone, to grinding it smooth, to the skilled hand of the artist, and finally, the operation of the printing press itself. The lithographic technique was a key development in the industrialization of art, making images accessible to a wider public, and speaking to the burgeoning culture of celebrity at the time. It blurs the boundaries between art, craft, and industry, reminding us that all images are made through a combination of artistic skill and technical processes tied to wider social issues.