Alfabet in Romein 1855

This page of Roman letters was created by Pieter Wilhelmus van de Weijer, in the Netherlands, sometime in the mid-19th century. It is a lithograph, a type of printmaking that involves drawing with a greasy crayon on a flat stone, which is then treated with chemicals so that the ink adheres only to the drawn areas. The resulting print has a distinctive look. Notice the crispness of the lines, and the subtle gradations of tone, achieved by layering the crayon. Lithography was a relatively new technology at the time, and it allowed for the mass production of images. It was used for everything from advertising to fine art, and it played a key role in the rise of visual culture in the 19th century. The printing process itself was highly skilled, and it required a great deal of labor. But it also made images more accessible to a wider audience, breaking down traditional distinctions between art and craft.