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Part 2: Modern Printing and the Expansion of Artistic Expression
In the 19th century, printing went beyond being a simple means of reproduction and began to be used as a means of artistic expression itself.
First and foremost was lithography (a stone print technique in which oil drawings are made on limestone, which is then treated with chemicals and printed using the repulsion between water and oil). Compared to woodblock or copperplate printing, lithography opened up new possibilities for artists as it allowed for freer brushstrokes and softer shading to be transferred directly to paper. In France, it was actively used by artists such as Delacroix and Toulouse-Lautrec, and Lautrec in particular decorated the city with posters for theaters and cafes, effortlessly crossing the boundary between advertising and art. This ushered in an era in which the city itself functioned as an "outdoor museum" and people could experience art while walking around.
Meanwhile, copperplate printing (intaglio printing, a method of engraving lines and surfaces into a metal plate, filling it with ink, and printing with a press) also evolved. Etching (a technique in which lines are engraved into the metal by corroding it with acid) and aquatint (a technique in which gradation of surfaces is created using powdered resin) made it possible to create delicate lines and rich shading, and were explored by artists such as Goya and Picasso. Although they were reproductions, each print had a different feel, so prints were treated not as mere copies but as "another original" (a reproduction but an independent work).
In the 20th century, silkscreen printing (a technique in which ink is forced through a mesh plate; today, synthetic fiber mesh such as polyester is the norm) became widespread. Pop art, typified by Andy Warhol, brought this technique, originally used in commercial printing, into art. His works such as "Marilyn Monroe" and "Campbell's Soup Cans" visualize both the homogeneity of mass-produced society and the fluctuations of individuality within it by repeatedly printing the same image while changing the color and placement.
The spread of modern printing had the power to both expand outward and deepen inward. Posters and magazines communicated methods of expression of shape and design—in other words, the language of figuration—to society, bringing art into the home. At the same time, artists manipulated printing materials, inks, and pressure to pursue lines and matière (technically created textures) that could not be achieved with paint.
What's important here is not that "the value is reduced because it's a reproduction," but that there is recognition that there are expressions that can only be created through reproduction. The city became an outdoor exhibition space, and the home became a small gallery. Printing expanded the scope of art, narrowing the distance between art and everyday life.
Continued in Part 3 ( Part 1 here )
