Antonio Tamburini, Italian Baritone 1828

This portrait of Antonio Tamburini, the celebrated Italian baritone, was created by Josef Kriehuber using lithography, a printmaking technique which came into its own in the early 19th century. Lithography allows for the creation of multiple, near-identical images from a single stone matrix, an innovative and relatively inexpensive technology compared to older forms of printmaking. Note how the artist built up tone and texture with small strokes of the crayon on the lithographic stone. The nature of the medium—reproducible and relatively quick to execute—speaks to Tamburini's celebrity status. He was in high demand, performing for a broad public. It's important to remember that even a printed image like this involved considerable labor. The artist had to be highly skilled. The print shop, too, would have been a hive of activity. By understanding the materials, processes, and social context of this portrait, we can appreciate the way in which art, craft, and industrial production have always been intertwined.