Full Cry, from Fox Hunting 1828

Charles Bentley made this print, titled "Full Cry, from Fox Hunting", sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It's a lithograph, meaning it was printed from a flat stone using a greasy crayon to create the image. Lithography was a relatively new technology at the time, enabling the production of detailed images quickly and in large quantities. This print is also hand-colored, meaning that after the black outline was printed, someone had to paint in the colors by hand. This division of labor speaks to early industrial methods of production, making luxury goods more accessible through clever combination of mechanical and manual means. The print gives us insight into the leisure activities of the British upper class. Fox hunting was a popular pastime, and this image captures the excitement of the chase. However, it also speaks to the social inequalities of the time, with the wealthy enjoying their sport while the working class toiled in factories and fields. Appreciating the materials and processes used to create this print allows us to see it as more than just a pretty picture, but as a window into a complex social and economic world.