Lithography has long been considered a magical art form, bringing texture and beauty to the world of printing. The planographic method of printing initially innovated by German author and actor Alois Senefelder in 1796 is based on the immiscibility of oil and water, with printing made on a limestone or metal plate with a smooth surface.
In the mid-1900s Fernand Mourlot's sent an invitation to a number of 20th-century artists to explore the complexities of fine art printing and work directly on lithographic stones to create original artworks. What makes lithographs such a captivating form of art is their versatility; typically executed by a combination of both an artist and a master printer, lithographs can be found as both fine art prints and advertising.
The result of this experimentation and combination of modern artist and master printer resulted in some truly captivating works of art, in every style and form. From traditional and avant-garde styles to watercolor and more, lithographs have enchanted viewers for over two centuries whether used for an advertising billboard or hung in an art gallery.
Interestingly, while "lithograph" is often used to refer to any printed matter made with the lithographic process, the term traditionally is only used for fine art prints and some other types of printed matter, not for those made by modern commercial lithography.
To this day, the impact of lithography can still be seen today in production printing and even in home printing, proving that the magical art of lithography is as relevant and captivating as it ever was.
