"The Fates" from The Songs of Béranger 1829

This print, “The Fates,” by Tony Johannot, is from a collection called The Songs of Béranger. It's a lithograph, meaning it was likely made by drawing on a flat stone with a greasy crayon, then treating the stone so that ink would adhere only to the drawn areas. Consider how this process shapes the image. The lithograph allows for finely detailed lines and tonal variations. Notice the delicate rendering of the figures and foliage, achieved through skilled draftsmanship and chemical precision. It's a mechanical process, capable of producing many copies, which speaks to the rise of print culture in the 19th century. The image is framed by lush ornamentation, evoking nature and artistic tools. Yet, inside this idyllic frame, we see a scene of mourning, a reminder that even beauty is transient. The labor-intensive process of lithography elevates this image from mere reproduction to a valued object of art, blurring the line between craft and fine art.