Scene II - Betrothed. Woman on Man's Lap 1877

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge created this lithograph, "Scene II - Betrothed. Woman on Man's Lap," sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The printing process would have involved drawing on a stone or metal plate, treating it with chemicals, and then using it to transfer an image onto paper. Look closely, and you'll see that Coolidge made skilled use of light and shadow. He created depth and texture, but also captured a narrative. The choice of lithography, a reproductive medium, democratized the image. The image could be made available to a wide audience, rather than being reserved for an elite. The print depicts an intimate scene. Its directness challenges high art's traditional subjects. The clothing and setting suggest a working-class environment, grounding the artwork in a specific social context. Coolidge’s choice of lithography highlights the relationship between art, reproduction, and accessibility, blurring the lines between fine art and popular culture.