Réveil 1886

Henri Fantin-Latour created this lithograph, Réveil, using a relatively new printing process that allowed artists to hand-draw images directly onto a stone. The image is built up from layers of lines and shading, creating depth. Fantin-Latour achieved this effect through the manipulation of grease-based lithographic crayons and pencils. These are applied to the smooth surface of the stone, then chemically treated to fix the image and prepare it for printing. The artist would have needed a very steady hand, and a deep knowledge of the materials, to conjure this figure of an angel. In Réveil, Fantin-Latour is exploring themes of dreams and the subconscious. Lithography lent itself well to this artistic exploration, its immediacy allowed the artist to translate a vision from his mind's eye to paper, in a way that was more direct and less mediated than painting or sculpture. The lithographic process opened the door for wider access to fine art. It also democratized distribution, challenging traditional notions of what art could be, and who it was for.