Currier and Ives

Biography:

American printmaking firm by Nathaniel Courrier (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824-1895). Nathaniel Courrier 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 Courrier & 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  








Horse Drawn Sleigh 







Horse Drawn Sleigh Coloring Page


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