34/?

About this artwork

lithografie

Art Historical Context

"34/?" is a lithograph by French artist Fortuné Férogio, created between 1839 and 1845. Measuring 284 mm high by 421 mm wide, this print bears the intriguing title suggesting it is the 34th installment in an ongoing or unidentified series—common in 19th-century publications where sequential numbering tracked thematic collections, such as costumes, military scenes, or historical vignettes. Lithography, the medium here, revolutionized printmaking in the early 1800s. Férogio drew directly onto limestone slabs with greasy crayon, exploiting the stone's natural repulsion of water and ink to produce rich, tonal images that mimicked drawing's spontaneity. By the 1840s, this technique had democratized art, enabling affordable mass reproduction of detailed illustrations for books, albums, and portfolios, bridging fine art and popular culture during France's July Monarchy era. Though specifics of the subject remain elusive, Férogio's work exemplifies the era's fascination with visual documentation, preserving cultural and historical details with precision. This piece invites visitors to ponder the artistry of replication, where each impression carries the artist's hand as vividly as an original sketch.