Twee figuren bij grafmonument in een kerk 1840 - 1843

Jan van der Kaa created this print of two figures by a grave monument in a church. It’s a lithograph, a printmaking technique that relies on the contrasting properties of grease and water. The artist likely drew directly onto a block of fine-grained limestone with a greasy crayon, creating a design that attracts oil-based ink. The stone is then dampened with water, which repels the ink in the undrawn areas. When paper is pressed to the block, the image transfers. This process can be repeated to create multiple identical prints. The appeal of lithography lies in its relative ease and directness. Unlike engraving, where material is physically removed from a plate, lithography preserves the artist's hand. The finished print has a soft, tonal quality, almost like a pencil drawing. In the 19th century, lithography democratized image-making, making art more accessible than ever before.