Familiegroep gezeten onder een overkapping 1806 - 1877

Jean-Baptiste Madou created this print of a family gathering under an awning, using a technique called lithography. This involves drawing with a greasy crayon on a flat stone or metal plate, then using oil and water to fix the design. Lithography was a relatively new technology in the 19th century, allowing for the mass production of images. As you can see, it offered a way to depict scenes of everyday life with remarkable detail. The texture of the print gives a softness to the scene, which captures the comfortable, relaxed atmosphere of a family at leisure. This process opened up art to a wider audience, beyond the wealthy elite who could afford original paintings. The print is itself an artifact of industrial advancement, and in its own way mirrors the kind of social world it depicts. It challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, in that it makes art more widely available.