Portret van Cornelis Kruseman 1829

This is a portrait of Cornelis Kruseman, made by L. van de Wildenberg using lithography, a printmaking technique. Lithography involves drawing with a greasy crayon onto a flat stone or metal plate, then treating it so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. This particular print likely began as a drawing, carefully rendered to capture Kruseman’s likeness, before being transferred to the lithographic stone. The texture and the layering of ink create a sense of depth and volume, particularly in the soft folds of his clothing and the contours of his face. Lithography emerged as a relatively affordable and efficient method for producing images, playing a significant role in the rise of mass media and visual culture. Prints like these democratized portraiture. This particular portrait makes one think about how artistic skill meets industrial production, challenging the traditional hierarchy between art and craft.