LITHOGRAPHY. – From the Greek λίθος (“stone”) and γραφή (“writing”). It generically indicates any engraving (writing, drawing, figure, etc.) made on stone prepared for the purpose; it also denotes the process by which, through chemical or mechanical action, the engraving can be reproduced in multiple copies on paper or other materials, and finally the particular sector of the graphic arts that deals with the printing of these engravings.
The artistic execution of the lithographic print differs from all others in that it is achieved without chemical or mechanical means, using a special pencil known as the “lithographic” pencil, composed of fatty substances. The beginnings of this art form, typical of the early 19th century, date back to 1796 through the work of Aloys Senefelder (1771–1834), who is considered the true inventor, following the sporadic and uncertain attempts of Abbot Simone Schmidt. Lithography enjoyed its golden age in the first half of the 19th century, and it was embraced by talented artists, particularly in Austria and Germany, including Franz Hanfstaengl, Franz Krüger, Oswald Achenbach, Adolph Menzel, and many others.
In Italy, lithography, as a graphic industry, was introduced by two Trentino figures: Giuseppe de Werz de Sprengenstein (c. 1764–1827), who began his activity in Milan in 1807 and continued until 1813, and Giovanni Dall’Armi (d. 1829) in Rome, from 1805 until his death. Among the Italian artists who devoted themselves to lithography, one may recall Bartolomeo Pinelli (1787–1835), Francesco Hayez (1791–1882), and later Casimiro Teja (1830–97), particularly in the genre of caricature.
Lithography greatly interested artists of the time and initially manifested in reproductions of paintings, gradually evolving into more original works producing portraits, landscapes, views, caricatures, and giving rise to specialized graphic establishments and publishing houses. It also played a role, though not a prominent one, in book illustration, particularly in France, where it benefited from the art of great lithographers such as Honoré Daumier and Paul Gavarni. In Italy, the use of lithography for book illustration was limited to a few applications and was mainly employed in popular and didactic works; it achieved greater success, however, as an independent art form, especially for portraits.
The historical cycle of lithography spans no more than half a century, straddling the first and second halves of the 19th century. It then rapidly declined, partly because this particular art form did not greatly interest private collectors. Today, after a long period of complete decline, lithography has seen fortunate signs of revival, with a production of original works of notable artistic importance, also due to new and faster technical processes (