CultureAugust 18, 2026
lithograph
LITH-uh-graf
Definition
A printing process in which images are drawn or transferred onto a flat surface, such as a stone or metal plate, and then inked and transferred to paper.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek words 'lithos' (stone) and 'graphein' (to write), the term was coined in the late 18th century to describe the invention of printing from stone surfaces.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe an advertisement for a steamship, illustrating the era's mass-produced visual culture that helped facilitate travel to East Asia.
It Had to Be Beautiful: The Origins of the Korean Art Collection
Read the full article ↗The Art Institute of Chicago