Lithography Post: Through the Bayou by Torchlight

Through the Bayou by Torchlight
1850
Currier & Ives (active 1857-1907 American)
Color lithograph

In this piece, a steamboat is traveling down in the bayou. The boat is most likely in the waters around Louisiana and is painting a picture of a steamboat traveling through the night down a river. In this picture, the boat travels through these dangerous waters as the rough terrain and the dark of night challenge them. The only thing that is guiding their way is the light from the torches and smoke stack that illuminate the water and surroundings. I really enjoy this colored print. The setting reminds me of old America back when this boat was top of the line in terms of technology. This boat is very well defined in this picture. Now knowing that every color in a lithography print is a separate layer seeing this amazes me even more. The vivid colors of the flames alone must have taken many different stone prints. The lights and shadows of this picture give the image a lot of depth. I can really feel like this boat is surrounded by darkness as it emerges from the thick foliage that surrounds it. The detail in the foliage is also very accurate to the bayou feel. The greens of the trees and the white of the boast help the flames pop which draws the eye toward the boat. The detail on the boat deck is executed very well. The support beams for the upper and lower deck coupled with the stairs leading from the bow can clearly be made out. The reflection of on the water adds to the detail of the print. Looking even closer, the artist even has the reflection of the flames in the smoke that is billowing from the smokestack. Overall, I really like this image. Hopefully I would be able to work colors into some of my prints.