A lithograph is an authorized reproduction of a piece of artwork, map, or text that has been created using a distinctive printing process. They may be signed by the artist or author, and depending on their condition can be of worthwhile value. Unlike other reproduction techniques that rely on the negative image being etched or raised on the print, lithography uses a smooth surface to transfer the image.
History
The process of lithography was created by Alois Senefelder in 1796 as a means of printing text. By 1837, Senefelder's principle was perfected for paintings by Godefroy Engelmann and lithograph reproductions were created. They were made by drawing an exact mirror image outline of the work on a smooth piece of limestone with greasy crayons. Oil-based ink was then used to color in the sketch, and water was applied to the areas on the stone surface where no color was desired to keep the ink from smudging. A thick sheet of paper was then placed on top of the stone reproduction and light pressure was added to transfer the ink onto the paper. The paper was allowed to dry, marked with an issue number, signed by the artist, and sold.
Significance
Lithography was quickly utilized to print 19th-century versions of the Qu'ran and other texts that utilized non-Western instead of the movable type press. While the movable-type press had difficulty accommodating the intricate characters of the Arabic, Turkish and Russian alphabets, the lithograph was able to transfer mass volumes of non-Western text with ease and speed. Because it was able to keep the alphabet intact, lithography became the only choice for printing religious materials in Arabic.
Considerations
The science of lithography has developed over time, and modern lithography relies on chemical processes to transfer the image instead of the negative relationship between oil and water. Now, a hydrophobic chemical, or chemical that repels water, is applied to the positive areas of the image before specific printing ink is applied. This not only keeps lines crisper, but also allows a wide variety of printing ink to be used regardless of its relationship with water.
Types
Modern book and newspaper printing utilizes a type of lithography called offset lithography. The printing machines that use offset lithography are large, multi-step devices that use flexible plates made from synthetic material instead of stone, as it is more durable for high quantity printing. The plates carry a reverse of the original image, or line of text, which is coated in development chemicals and water, and the paper is pressed across it before being moved through rollers to squeeze out the extra moisture. It is then super-dried before being moved off the press for bounding and organization.
Effects
In the mid-1800s, several notable artists like Delacroix and Goya worked exclusively in lithographs and created the original images on the limestone itself. Toulouse-Lautrec also spent much of his later career experimenting with lithography as an art medium.
