Lodsen. Nr. 19 i Chr. Winther og M. Rørbye, "25 Billeder for små børn" 1846

This is Adolph Kittendorff’s print, “Lodsen,” part of the series "25 Billeder for små børn." The printmaking process itself – likely etching or engraving – is crucial to understanding its impact. Consider how the sharp lines, achieved by incising into a metal plate, create a sense of precision. This meticulous technique mirrors the very subject of the print: a pilot, carefully aiming his spyglass. The act of printmaking, with its inherent repeatability, speaks to the wider context of nineteenth-century industrialization and the rise of mass media. Prints like these democratized images, making them accessible to a broad public, including children. It’s important to remember that this image, though seemingly simple, carries a weight of social and technological change. By appreciating the printmaking process, we can see how this artwork participates in a larger story about labor, technology, and the circulation of knowledge.