Spotprent op de toestand aan de universiteiten, 1865 1865

This lithograph, created by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans in 1865, uses the graphic power of ink on paper to deliver a potent political message. The relative ease and low cost of lithography allowed for the broad distribution of satirical images like this one, commenting on Dutch university life. The stark black lines and the absence of color forces us to focus on the narrative being conveyed: the artist is critiquing the state of academia. We see figures recoiling in horror, and what appears to be a representation of university education draped lifelessly in a chair. This directness is enabled by the very nature of the printmaking process itself, cutting out subtleties in favor of immediate communication. The choice of lithography speaks to a wider social context: the rise of mass media and the increasing importance of visual culture in shaping public opinion. It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple materials and processes can be powerful tools for social commentary.