1. The word _lithography_ is derived from two Greek words--_lithos_, a
stone, and _grapho_, to write; and the art to which the term is
applied has reference to the execution of letters, figures, and
drawings, on stone, and taking from them fac-simile impressions. The
art is founded on the property which stone possesses, of imbibing
fluids by capillary attraction, and on the chemical repulsion which
oil and water have for each other.
2. Every kind of calcareous stone is capable of being used for
lithography. Those, however, which are of a compact, fine, and equal
grain, are best adapted to the purpose. The quarries of Solenhofen,
near Pappenheim, in Bavaria, furnished the first plates, and none have
yet been found in any other place, to equal them in quality; although
some that answer the purpose tolerably well, have been taken from
quarries in France and England.
3. In preparing the stones for use, they are first ground to a level
surface, by rubbing two of them face to face, sand and water being
interposed. Then, if they are designed for _ink drawings_, they are
polished with pumice-stone; but, if for _chalk drawings_, with fine
sand, which produces a grained surface adapted to holding the chalk.
4. When stones of proper size and texture cannot be conveniently
obtained, slabs are sometimes constructed of lime and sand, and united
with the caseous part of milk. The first part of the process which may
be considered as belonging peculiarly to the art, consists in making
the drawing on the stone. This is done either in ink, with steel pens
and camel's hair pencils, or with crayons made of lithographic chalk.
The process of drawing on stone differs but little from that on paper,
with similar means.
5. For lithographic ink, a great number of receipts have been given;
but the most approved composition consists of equal parts of wax,
tallow, shell-lac, and common soap, with a small proportion of
lamp-black. Lithographic chalk is usually composed of the same
materials, combined in different proportions.
6. When the drawing has been finished, the lithographic printer
prepares it for giving impressions, by using upon its surface a weak
solution of acid and other ingredients, which corrode the surface of
the stone, except where it is defended from its action by the grease
of the chalk or ink. As soon as the stone has been sufficiently eaten
away, the solution is removed by the application of spirits of
turpentine and water.
7. The ink employed in this kind of printing, is similar in its
composition to other kinds of printing ink. It is applied to the
drawing by means of a small wooden cylinder covered with leather. The
paper, which has been suitably dampened, is laid upon the stone, and
after it has been covered, by turning down upon it a thick piece of
leather stretched upon an iron frame, a crank is turned which brings
the stone successively under the press.
8. An impression of the drawing having been thus communicated to the
paper, the sheet is removed, and the process is repeated, until the
proposed number of prints have been taken. Before each application of
the ink, the whole face of the stone is moderately wet with water by
means of a sponge; and although the roller passes over the whole
surface of the stone, yet the ink adheres to no part of it, except to
that which is covered with the drawing.
9. The number of impressions which may be taken from chalk drawings,
varies according to their fineness. A fine drawing will give fifteen
hundred; a coarse one, twice that number. Ink drawings and writings
give considerably more than copperplates, the finest yielding six or
eight thousand, and strong lines and writings many more.
10. Impressions from engravings can be multiplied indefinitely, with
very little trouble, in the following manner. A print is taken in the
usual way from the engraved plate, and immediately laid with its face
upon water. When sufficiently wet, it is carefully applied to the face
of a stone, and pressed down upon it by the application of a roller,
until the ink is transferred to the stone. Impressions are then taken
in the manner before described.
11. The invention of lithography is ascribed to Aloys Senifelder, the
son of a performer at the theatre of Munich. Having become an author,
and being too poor to publish his works in the usual way, he tried
many plans, with copperplates and compositions, in order to be his
own printer. A trial on stone, which had been accidentally suggested,
succeeded. His first essays to print for publication, were some pieces
of music, executed in 1796.
12. The first productions of the art were rude, and of little promise;
but, since 1806, its progress has been so rapid, that it now gives
employment to a great number of artists; and works are produced, which
rival the finest engravings, and even surpass them in the expression
of certain subjects. The earliest date of the art in the United
States, is 1826, when a press was established at Boston, by William
Pendleton.
[Illustration: The AUTHOR.]