Katie Butler: By the middle of the nineteenth century, Jules Cheret was a household name thanks to his distinct take on lithographs. Before Cheret reformed the technique of posters being tediously copied with austere and dull colors, this artist reinvented the wheel by painting directly onto stone with vibrant colors. One of his poster commissions…
When examining the 1842 publication of Ancient Spanish Ballads: Historical and Romantic by John Gibson Lockhart, my first visual impressions were an appreciation for the ornate details. As could be seen immediately by the cover page, much thought, effort, and material had gone into printing such incredible work. The sheer amount of color, as well…