Zicht op de kathedraal van Orléans (noordzijde) 1853 - 1856

Léon Auguste Asselineau created this view of Orléans cathedral using lithography, a printmaking process that democratized image production in the 19th century. Lithography involves drawing on a flat stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then treating the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. The image is then transferred to paper. Unlike earlier printmaking methods, lithography allowed for more fluid and detailed renderings, mirroring the immediacy of drawing. Here, Asselineau captures the cathedral's imposing Gothic architecture with remarkable precision. Consider the amount of labor involved. First, the work of the architects and builders who erected the cathedral itself. Then, Asselineau’s work as a draughtsman, and the skilled labor of the lithographer who translated his drawing into a printable form. Finally, the numerous impressions that would have been made, extending the image far beyond the artist's studio. This print embodies the convergence of art, craft, and industrial production, making art more accessible while celebrating the skilled labor involved in its creation.