Dancers Vintage Lithograph

There’s something very sweet and charming about this couple of young dancers immortalised by Théo van Rysselberghe (1862-1926), a neo-impressionist painter who played a vital role in the European art scene at the turn of the twentieth century. The signature of the artist (VR) is visible on the left corner. A copy of this lithograph was included in the printing of an ancient book, where this paper comes from.

What is a lithograph?

The word “lithograph” is derived from two ancient Greek words: “lithos” meaning “stones,” and “graphien” meaning “to write.” To create a lithograph, original works of art are printed and reproduced, most often using flat stones or metal plates. The artist makes the lithograph by drawing an image directly onto the printing element using materials like litho crayons or specialized greasy pencils. When the artist is satisfied with the drawing on the stone, the surface is then treated with a chemical etch. The treatment bonds the greasy drawing materials to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate and repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink.