Biography:
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| James Merritt Ives |
"Currier and Ives" was an American printmaking firm owned and operated by Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824-1895).
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| Nathaniel Currier |
Nathaniel Currier became an apprentice at the age of 15 at a Boston lithography shop, learning the process of printing. In 1834, he started his own printing business in New York City, later to be joined by James Ives. The firm Currier & Ives, produced prints from artists' paintings as black and white lithographs, then hand colored them. The prints could be reproduced quickly and inexpensively, thus they called themselves, "Publishers of Cheap and Popular Pictures". Their work became so popular they became known as Printmakers to the American People for their pictures depicting 19th century American life; winter scenes, ships, railroad, and historical events.
Lithography:
A method of printing from a flat surface (such as a smooth stone or metal plate) that has been specially treated to retain ink while the non image areas are treated to repel ink.
Click here for photographs of the Lithography process.
Click here for Currier and Ives History (Video)
Currier and Ives Prints:
American Express Train
The American National Game of Baseball
Horse Drawn Sleigh
Horse Drawn Sleigh Coloring Page
