The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 24, 2025

The Genius of Lithography

1819

Nicolas Henri Jacob

(French, 1782–1871)
France, 19th century
crayon lithograph with brush and scratchwork
Image: 19 x 16.3 cm (7 1/2 x 6 7/16 in.); Sheet: 26.7 x 19.9 cm (10 1/2 x 7 13/16 in.)
Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland 1999.39
Catalogue raisonné: Inv. du fonds français après 1800 Vol. XI.72.13
Location: Not on view

Description

The Genius of Lithography celebrates the new printmaking technique (invented in 1798) that revolutionized illustration and enabled the reproduction of images at a reasonable cost, since numerous impressions can be printed from the lithographic stone. Artists liked the medium's flexibility: while rich blacks could be achieved for shadows, and every tone of gray was possible, a sharp point could scratch white highlights into dark areas.
  • 1904–89
    Collection of Dr. R.A. Winkler
    ?–1999
    (Susan Schulman Printseller, New York, NY), sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
    January 25, 1999–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • From Rembrandt to Rauschenberg: Recently Acquired Prints. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 17-November 26, 2000).
  • {{cite web|title=The Genius of Lithography|url=false|author=Nicolas Henri Jacob|year=1819|access-date=24 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1999.39