Chromolithography in the 19th Century

Chromolithography with Chromo meaning color and lithography meaning the actual printing process is an antique printing method which became popular circa 1860-1910.  The Victorians invented a variant of lithography which used an aniline oil based ink on either a stone or a zinc plate that produced a print that resembled an oil painting.  With its dense color and often a high sheen, the chromolithograph complemented the decorative sensibility of this period. 

In the process of chromolithography, each stone or plate was inked in an appropriate color on a press.  Then the print paper was passed from stone to stone to pick up the varied colors.  This took tremendous skill by the person making the plates or the lithographer.  It was an expensive process and although hand color touches were often added, it seldom produced quite the quality or sheen on color which is achieved by hand. 

Invented in Germany during the 1830's, chromolithographic techniques quickly spread and major firms were established in the U.S., Britain and the Continent.  Names such as Currier and Ives in New York, The Arundel Society and M & N Hanhart in London and Alfred-Leon Lemercier in Paris are well known to most collectors. 

The most successful American publisher of chromolithograph prints after the Civil War was Louis Prang, often thought of as the father of the American Christmas Card.  We have offered some of Prang's beautiful chromolithographs from "Animate Creation" by Rev. J. G. Wood in the Ebay Antique_Print_Collection store, and we will be putting more on our auction site in the near future.   

Chromolithograph prints from the 19th century are still very collectible and have great decorative appeal and quality and they should be appreciated for the colors and the labor intensive printing process.