Portretten van Alfred von Windisch-Graetz, Joseph Wenzel Radetzky en Josef Jellačić de Buzim 1819 - 1858

This print by Johann Leonhard Appold portrays Alfred von Windisch-Graetz, Joseph Wenzel Radetzky, and Josef Jellačić de Buzim. It was made using lithography, a printing technique that democratized image-making in the 19th century. Lithography involves drawing on a flat stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, then applying ink that adheres only to the drawn areas. This print, with its fine lines and subtle tonal variations, speaks to the skill of the artist in manipulating this process. The choice of lithography is significant. Unlike earlier printmaking techniques, it allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction, making images like these accessible to a broader public. Here, three military figures who played significant roles in the Austrian Empire are immortalized. The medium itself participates in the dissemination of power, and the making of celebrity. Considering the materials and methods used provides insights into the social and cultural context of the artwork, blurring distinctions between fine art and modes of production.