Journey to the Center of the Earth 1864

Edouard Riou’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is made with ink on paper, a process that combines technique and mass production. The effect relies on the linear quality of the engraving, creating texture and shadow, with the cross-hatching building a sense of geological drama. Illustrations like this were made to be reproduced, consumed, and then discarded – the Victorian version of clicking “like.” The paper itself is a product of the industrial revolution, made from wood pulp rather than the more laborious process using rags. And the printing process depends on the division of labor; from the writer Jules Verne, to Riou as the illustrator, and the printing shop staff. Consider the labor involved in the mining of minerals to make the ink, and the felling of trees for the paper. By considering these material and social factors, the artwork gains new meaning.