How media were made: chromolithography in Belle Époque France.

An essay is presented on the role of visual technologies and aesthetics in the history of technology. Particular focus is given to French chromolithography in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to the author, analyzing the visual and aesthetic aspects of ephemera such as posters and trade cards can help scholars to understand their technological significance. The relationship between art and design history and technology history is also discussed.