De poppen-kast / Vijfde stuk. Het geheimzinnige dier c. 1843 - 1920

This lithograph titled 'De poppen-kast / Vijfde stuk. Het geheimzinnige dier' was created by C. Reinhardt. Lithography is a printmaking process that relies on the chemical repulsion of oil and water. The artist would have drawn an image with a greasy crayon onto a flat stone or metal plate, then treated it to accept ink only in the areas where the crayon was used. The print is monochrome, using only one color of ink, but Reinhardt has expertly used hatching and cross-hatching to create tone and shadow. The lithographic process, which allowed for relatively quick and cheap reproduction, was closely tied to the rise of mass media. This print seems to reference popular entertainments like puppet shows. The way the artist shows us a series of interactions between the characters, makes it similar to a page of a comic book. Considering its materials, making, and context helps us understand that this artwork is tied to wider social issues, and that the traditional distinction between fine art and craft can be challenged.