Reclamekaart van drukker Édouard De Lay-De Muyttere te Brugge 1842 - 1855

This print is an advertisement made in Bruges by Édouard De Lay-De Muyttere, who was a lithographic printer. Lithography is a fascinating process. The image is drawn with a greasy crayon onto a flat stone, then treated with acid. When the stone is inked, the ink sticks only to the drawn areas, allowing for a print to be made. The result is that the image seems almost drawn, with a soft, textured quality quite different from engraving or etching. Édouard De Lay-De Muyttere’s print exemplifies the use of lithography as a commercial medium, and the rise of printmaking in the 19th century. The architecture is rendered with striking clarity; the lettering is also beautifully crisp. But perhaps most interesting are the flourishes, and the figures worked into the design, which shows the extent of the work involved. It reflects the democratizing effect of the mechanization of image-making, and how traditional skills were applied to it. The transition from handcraft to industrial production is clearly visible in this print.