Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-06-12

Ivom the n,ston psiiv Advert -
Chromo-llthogrsphy is the ART u prin-
ting pictures from stone, IN coiofs.-ile
mos, difl;~ult branch Of (which IL nov
generally implied when chromos are spe-
ken or--is the art Of reproducing oil pain
.;rps. when . chrome is made by con-.
peient hand, 1t presents an exact counter
nart OF the original painting, with the oeli-
cate graduation OF tints aud shades and
with much of the spirit and tone Of pro
duc,on Of the brush and pallet.
To understand how chromos are made
the art OF TYPOGRAPHY must FIRST be briefly
explained. The stone used in lithogrsph-
ing is species Of limestone found in Bsva-
ria, and is wrought into thick slabs with
finely polished surface. The drawing is
made upon tie slab With sort Of colefed
soap, which s1hssss 70 the stone, and en-
tiers isto chemical eomoisosion with it
after the application Of acids and gums
when the drawing 10 complete, The alab y
put on the pres, and carefully dampsned
with sponge. The oil color Tor ink u
then applied with . common pinters roller.
Ofcourse, the parts Of the slab which con
tain no drawing; being wet. resis tho ink;
while the drawing itself. being oily, repeIs
the water, but retains the color applied.
IT is thus that, without raised surface OF
incission-ss in common printing, wooo-
cuts. and steel sngravings-lithcgraphy
produces printed drawings from perfectly
smooth stone.
In a chrome, the first proof is light
o,ound tint, covering nearly oil the surface.
II has only faint, shadowy resemblance
to the complete picture. 1t is, in fact.
shadow, rather than IN outline. The next
proof, from the second stone, contains ali
the shad 60 Of another color. This process
is repeated again and again, occasionally, as
often ~ thirty times. We saw one proof,
i. visit to Mr.. Prang's establishments
group Of cattls-that had passed through
the press; and il still bore greater rssem-
blancs to spoiled selorsd phsEsgraph than
to the charming lishograph which i subse-
quentiy became. Tho number Of impress
sions, however, does not necessarily indi-
cate the number Of soloPs In painting, be-
cause the colors and tints are greatly null
tiplisd by combinations created in the pro-
cess of printing over another. In twenty
five imprsssions, il 10 sometimes necessary
and possible to produce hundred distinct
shades.
The last impression 10 made BY an en-
graved stone, which produces that Tessm.
blance TO canvass noticeable in oil Mr..
Prang's finer spsemsns. EDglish and Cor
man chromos, - rule, do not attempt to
give this delicate final touch, although il
would seem to be essential in order to max Q
a perfect imitation Of painting.
Ths paper used is white, heavy "plate
paper" Of the best quality, which has 10
pass through heavy press. sheet by sheet.
beiose its surface is fit to receive an impress
sion.
The process thus briefly explained, We
need hardly add, requires equally grea,
skill and judgment at every stage. sin
gle error is instantly detected by the prac-
ticed eye in tho finished specimen. The
production Of . chrome, II IL Is At oil com
plcated, requires several months-some.
times several ycars-of careful preparation
The msre drawing Of the different and en-.
tifely detached parts on so many different
stones, is of itself work that requires ar
amount Of labor and . degree of skill
which, TO person unfamiliar with the pro
cess, would appear incredible. Still NOR,
| difficult, and needing still greater skill, il
the process of coloring. This demands
knowledge which artists have hitherto al
most exclusively moDopolized, and, in ad
dition to it, the practical familiarity 0
la printer with mechanical details
DRYING and "Registerlng" are ~ impor
tant branches of tho ert IF making and col
oring. improper registering. for example
the entire possibility OF producing pictur,
at every stage of It's process depends. "keg
l 81. - hat at IF NJ
which consists in 30 arranging the paper il
the press that it shall receive the impress
ion on exactly the same spot ofevsry sheet
In book work, each page must he sxactl,
opposite the page printed on the other sid,
Of the sheet, in order that the impression
il on thin paper, may not "shew through.
In newspaper work this 10 OF less import
ance, and often 10 not attended to with any
special care. But In chromo-lithography
the difference Of hairs breadth woulc
spoil picture; for Il would hepsleesly mil
up the colors.
After the chremo has passed through tn,
press it is embossed and vanished, anc
then put up for market The final process
cs are for the purpose of breaking the glossy
light, and Of sofening the hard outline.
which the picture receives from the stone
which imparts to il n Resemblance Of /,
painting on canvass.
Mr.. Prang began his business in the hum
best way, but has rapidly increased his es
| adjustment, until he now employs fifty
| workmcn, nearly all Of them artists and
artzens of the most skillful class,-and i.
preparing to move into larger building a
Roxburry. He uses eighteen presses, ant
l lie -. His rafainUna
embraces a large number of album cards
about seventy sets Of twelve in each set !; 4
beautiful series Of illuminated "Boatitudes'
and "Scriptural Notices an endless list
Of our great men !; and Of men not so great
after all Of Juveniles, notables . proiuse
| ly illustrated edition of"Old Mother Hub
bard" and Of half chromos and chromos
proper. Tait's Chickens "Ducklings,
and "Qusils," were the first chromos that
met an instant and wide recognition. Nine
teen thousand copies Of the "Chickens'
alone were sold. Birchsr's early Autumn
on Esopus Greek" Is one Of the best ehromol
ever made on . small scale. The "Bull
finch" and the "Linnst" (After Cruikshauk
are admirable. There are other chromet
which are less successful, and one or ~,
that are not successful ct eli, but they ar
nearly oil sxesllsnt copies Of the originals
with which the defects must BE- charged
The ehremos Of Birchsr's paintings .
really wonderfully accurate.
Mr.. Prans's mastsIpiscs. however, 10 NO
yet published. although it 10 nearly rsadJ
for the market. II entirely sufpassss oil hi
previous efforts. II 10 Corrsfgio's "MAG
pALExA," and can hardly fail, W think I
l 4 . AZ -
milton.
Like every modern discovery, chrome
lithography has ito partiIans and dstrac,
orr, those who claim for il perhaps impol
sible capabilities. and those who regard