Zicht op Dinan en het viaduct over de rivier de Rance 1853 - 1856

Léon Auguste Asselineau made this lithograph, "Zicht op Dinan en het viaduct over de rivier de Rance," a view of Dinan and the viaduct over the Rance river, using a stone plate and greasy crayon, to capture the scene. Lithography, a printmaking technique, relies on the contrast between oily and water-receptive areas on a flat stone surface. The artist draws the composition directly onto the stone, and then chemically fixes it. This technique, pivotal in the 19th century, allowed for relatively quick reproduction of images, and thus wider distribution, as well as a certain tonal richness. This print gives a window into the rapid industrialization of France at the time. The viaduct itself represents engineering prowess, and the changing landscape, and the printmaking process is itself a product of industrial advancement, reflecting the era's increasing emphasis on efficiency and mass production. Looking at the materials, processes, and social context of this lithograph helps us understand its significance beyond just a picturesque view. It's a moment captured in a rapidly changing world, reminding us that art is always intertwined with the means of its making.