Officier der vrijw. Jagers van Z. Beveland 1835 - 1850

This is a print made by Albertus Verhoesen, depicting an officer of the volunteer Jagers of South Beveland. It is a lithograph, a process that democratized image-making in the 19th century. The key is the flat surface of the stone that is the base of lithography. The design is drawn on the stone with a greasy crayon, allowing ink to adhere only to the image. It is a chemical rather than a physical process, very different from the laborious, skillful work of the engraver. Consider the implications of this technique, given the subject matter: a military man, standing for the power of the state. The lithograph, with its comparative ease of production, allowed images like this to circulate widely and cheaply. This speaks to a shift in social power – from an elite who could afford individually crafted images, to a mass audience able to consume them affordably. The lithograph democratizes not just image-making but also its consumption, reflecting broader social changes.