24. Lithography in the Age of the Hand Press
Michael Twyman
(Evaluation of the RBS 1994 version of this course)
This course, which will explore a wide range of applications of
lithography in Europe, is aimed at those who are concerned with
books, prints, and ephemera especially of the first half of the
c19. Topics include: Senefelder and the discovery of lithography;
lithographic stones and presses; the work of the lithographic
draftsman, letterer, and printer; early lithographed books and
other printing; the development of particular genres, including
music printing; chromolithography in the context of color
printing.
1. How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: Too many. Should have required one or two with
minimum
quantity. Most of us don't have time for hours of preparation.
[Then you are in the wrong school! -Ed.] 2:
Quite
helpful, although I really only had time to scan a half-dozen
of
them. However, my new knowledge of the bibliography will be
most
useful. 3: I found the pre-course readings extremely
useful, especially in those areas where I did not have previous
experience (music printing, for example). I already have a
gener-
al background in the subject, but I definitely found doing some
preliminary reading helpful. 4: I got the list but had
no
time; reviewing the course list during the course, I could see
that it was excellent. 5: I had the list in time but
didn't have the character to tackle it properly. 6: Very
appropriate. 7: Very useful; though the course was so
clear and well organized that it could have been followed
without
having done much of the reading at all. 8: I did not
have
most of the readings available to me before RBS. 9:
Quite -- gave me a good background to walk in more prepared to
discuss rather than just sit back and listen. Also a great list
to
have for future use.
2. Was your faculty member well-prepared to teach THIS
course?
1: Exceptionally well prepared. 2: INDEED!!! Who
better? 3: Best possible. 4: My instructor
WROTE this course. On a scale of 1-10, he should receive
100. 5: Supremely well prepared. Lectures were organized
and systematic, slides were in order and to the point.
6:
Yes. 7: Well, well prepared. 8: Extremely.
9: Absolutely -- a real pro+articulate+welcoming of
questions, to boot.
3. Was the intellectual level of the course content ap-
propriate?
1-2: Yes. 3: Yes, ideal. 4: Perfect. 5-
8: Yes. 9: Yes -- required a bit of prior knowledge,
but
provided tremendous amount of information for those prepared to
go beyond the basics.
4. Did the actual course content correspond to its RBS
brochure description and Expanded Course Description? Did the
course in general meet your expectations?
1: Yes. 2: Yes, and exceeded them. 3: Yes.
Yes. 4: Perfect. 5: Yes. Even though I'd heard
great things about MT and his course, in actuality my
expectations were greatly surpassed. 6-7: Yes. 8:
Yes. Yes. 9: Yes.
5. What did you like best about the course?
1: 1. Tremendous knowledge and experience of the
instructor. 2. Well organized and well delivered lectures. 3.
Excellent visual aids, well integrated into the subject. 4.
Hands
on use of RBS print collection very helpful. 2: Apart
from
the content (in that I began the week as an intellectual pygmy
in the subject), MT's scholarship and unassuming teaching
style,
plus his unwavering enthusiasm for the subject, is most
impressive. 3: The best part of the course was the
chance
to benefit from MT's expertise. His slides were extremely good
and very helpful. I liked all parts of the course, but was per-
haps most interested in the sections on pictorial lithography
since they relate most closely to my own interests. 4:
The
personality and enthusiasm and knowledge of the instructor.
5: Delivery of the lectures. The slides, especially the
details beside the full image. 6: Looking at actual
material. 7: Chance to examine actual prints and try to
figure out their techniques. Chance to ask questions of the
thoroughly knowledgeable instructor. 8: The thorough
presentation. Slides. The instructor's sense of humor and
ability
to include students in discussions. 9: MT -- a wonderful
font
of all kinds of information, charming, encouraging, one of the
best teachers I've ever had.
6. How could the course have been improved?
1: This course material cries out for one-day
laboratory,
learning to make a lithograph. I hope it can be integrated into
future schedules. 3: More and better specimens.
4:
I only wish that in the beginning of the first day I had some
idea of printing styles. I think many of us in the class were
not
as sophisticated about lithography as MT assumed and an
overview
and/or examples may have helped -- but so saying, by Day 5
things
were easier. 5: Temperature control of/in Taylor (we
either froze or stifled). Begin on time -- one classmate
delayed
nearly half the sessions by straggling in late. 6: More
information about parallel industries (paper, textiles, etc.).
7: Get temperature level under control. 8: I
might
have liked additional time to look at actual samples from the
periods discussed. 9: Somewhat in jest -- more time! MT
made
what might have been a very narrowly focused, discrete study
seem
expansive and endlessly fascinating, relating lithography to
such
varied fields as printing history, graphic communication+social
history -- a week didn't do the subject justice!
7. Any final thoughts?
1: As always, a memorable and useful week of learning
and
fellowship. It only gets better. Remind students to bring coat
hangers. TB's lecture delivery mightily improved - no ``umms.''
2: Perhaps if each student could bring one or two
examples
of lithography to be discussed, that might be interesting,
though
I realize it might not in all cases be possible. 3: It
might be a good idea to stress the need for a good background
in
printmaking techniques, especially some basic familiarity with
lithography. I think everyone enjoyed and benefited from the
course regardless of their previous experience, however, so
perhaps this is not vital. Personally, I think it was the best
course I've ever taken, anywhere, anytime. A fantastic
experience! 4: I always take RBS literature to all the
classes I teach in NYC (and I teach a lot) and always
urge
my students to attend. I will continue to do so. In view of
this
particular course, I would urge them to do some reading
beforehand. 5: An elegant addition to the RBS course of-
ferings. 8: Just do it. 9: Thanks -- a great
time.
Number of respondents: 9
Percentages
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
100% 84% 67% 65%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
0% 5% 11% 35%
N/A: self- N/A: Self- N/A: stayed N/A: lived
employed, re- employed, with friends nearby
tired, or had retired, or or lived at
summers off exchange home
0% 11% 11% 0%
Under nego-
tiation with
institution
11%
Three students (33%) were conservator/binder/preservation
librarians; three students (33%) were rare book librarians; and
one
student (11% each) was an antiquarian bookseller, an
archivist/manuscripts librarian, or a print specialist in a
library.