Ours polaire / Polar bear / Eisbär / Orso bianco. / Ijsbeer 1829 - 1880

This print of a polar bear was made by Joseph Scholz, though we don’t know exactly when. It's a lithograph, a process that democratized image-making in the 19th century. Instead of laboriously engraving an image into metal or wood, the artist draws on a flat stone with a greasy crayon. The stone is then treated so that ink only adheres to the drawn areas, allowing for multiple, relatively quick reproductions. Here, the lithographic technique allows for delicate gradations of tone and texture, mimicking the soft, dense fur of the polar bear. The subtle coloring, likely applied by hand after the printing, adds to the realism, capturing the cool, icy environment. But consider, too, that this image would have been made for circulation, perhaps in a book or as a standalone print. The rise of lithography coincided with increasing scientific interest in the natural world, and a growing market for such images. The work speaks to the changing relationship between humans and the natural world.