Visitekaartje van drukker Jean Lots te Brussel 1842

This calling card for Jean Lots, a printer in Brussels, uses lithography to create an intricate and visually dense image. The dominant feature is an open book, its pages filled with text and a landscape scene, which is flanked by symbols of creativity and intellect. The drawing is characterized by its fine lines and detailed rendering, typical of lithographic printing at the time. The composition is cleverly constructed to communicate Lots’s profession. The open book declares ‘Jean Lots, Lithographe’, while the surrounding objects—a bust of Hippocrates, a palette, and various tools—suggest artistic and intellectual pursuits. Semiotically, these symbols function as signs pointing to Lots's identity as a learned and skilled artisan. The detailed rendering emphasizes the precision and quality of his work. Notice the way Vandendaelen uses the form of the book to frame and present information, while embedding it within a broader context of cultural and professional identity. This card is not just a means of introduction but a carefully constructed representation of Lots's professional world.