Hiëna. / Hyäne. / Hyène. / Hyena 1829 - 1880

This print of a hyena was made by the firm Joseph Scholz using chromolithography, a technique that allows for multiple colors in printing. The way this print was made is fascinating. It starts with a series of lithographic stones, one for each color. The image is drawn on each stone, treated with chemicals, and then inked. Layer by layer, the colors are transferred to paper, building up the final image. Chromolithography was the dominant color printing technique in the late 19th century, enabling mass production of images. The process made images widely available and influenced visual culture. Consider the amount of labor involved, from quarrying the stones to the skilled work of the artists and printers. This was a real industry, one that played a significant role in shaping popular understandings of the world, including its animals. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images have a complex story to tell. It's a story of materials, making, and the wider world in which they were made.