Litofánia: Az első fényalapú vizuális tömegmédium elfeledett története
Lithophanes: The Forgotten History of the First Light-Based Visual Mass Medium

Summary/Abstract: Lithophanes are thin, white objects measuring only a few millimetres in thickness. When backlit, a high-contrast, greyscale image emerges, created by the shadows cast by variations in thickness. Influenced by East Asian porcelain, the technique was developed in Europe during the 1820s and soon gained popularity in North America. Porcelain manufacturers primarily produced lithophanes as screens, diffusing the harsh light of candles and kerosene lamps, and decorated them with figurative scenes appealing to bourgeois tastes. However, with the advent of electric lighting, their popularity declined significantly. More than a century later, the emergence of 21st-century digital imaging and 3D printing technologies has unexpectedly revitalized the lithophane technique. This study seeks to recontextualize lithophanes beyond the history of applied arts, investigating their role as an early light-based mass medium. Lithophanes can be interpreted as the first light-based visual medium to appear in homes across Europe and North America. Examining this technique offers a framework for the rematerialisation of digital art. This paper explores the historical and cultural context of lithophanes, discusses the technique’s ties to Hungary, and analyses its contemporary significance.

• Details
• Contents