Tilemakers

Art Historical Context

Thomas Barker's *Tilemakers* (1803) is a captivating pen-and-tusche lithograph that captures the everyday labor of artisans in early 19th-century Britain. Created just five years after Alois Senefelder's invention of lithography, this print showcases Barker's skill as a pioneering adopter of the medium. Working on specially prepared limestone with pen for crisp lines and tusche—a greasy, liquid medium—for soft tonal gradations, Barker produced an image rich in texture and detail, evoking the gritty rhythm of tile production. As "Barker of Bath," the artist was renowned for his Romantic genre ...