Journey of Lithograph to Chromolithograph to Oleograph Prints!
Do you wonder what a lithograph print, a chromolithograph print, or an oleograph print is, and what the differences are, and how to even identify them? Do you really know which one you own?
Now you’re wondering why I’m asking so many questions. It’s because I had all these questions in my head too. Most people who own a Ravi Varma print don’t know which one they have. They are not the same thing, and once you understand the difference, you will never confuse them again. The terminology around Ravi Varma prints is genuinely messy because art historians, dealers, auction houses, and collectors often use “oleograph,” “chromolithograph,” and “lithograph” interchangeably.
What is Lithography?
Lithography was invented in Germany in 1796 by Alois Senefelder. The word comes from the Greek, ‘litho’ meaning stone, ‘graphein’ meaning to write. Stone printing, literally.
The Process of Lithographic Printing:
The process works on a simple principle: oil and water do not mix. The artist draws on a flat limestone surface using a greasy crayon or ink. The stone is then treated with water. The blank areas absorb the water, while the drawn areas repel it. When oil-based ink is rolled over the surface, the ink adheres only to the drawing. The image is then pressed onto paper to create the print.
A lithograph offers remarkable precision without texture. The ink lies flat on the paper, creating a smooth surface. Early lithographs were usually printed in black and white or in monochrome shades. Together, these characteristics can help identify a traditional lithograph print.
This technique found wide use in the 19th century for book illustrations, maps, advertisements, and posters.
What is a Chromolithograph print?
Chromolithography came after lithography and expanded the process into colour printing. In chromolithography, each colour required its own stone or printing plate. Every colour layer had to be printed separately and aligned precisely by hand.
A single chromolithograph could involve a dozen or even more colour separations. The more colours in the original artwork, the more stones were needed. Ink was built up slowly, layer by layer, until the final image emerged. Depending on the complexity of the artwork, the process could take weeks or even months. In the case of many prints produced by the Ravi Varma Press, the paper used was often quite thin.
Bowl of Peaches by Francesca Alexander - Chromolithograph Print from Purathanam Collection
Hens & Cocks - Bird Art / Avian Art - Chromolithograph Print from London (Purathanam Collection)
This intense labour and craftsmanship made chromolithography one of the most sophisticated printing techniques of the 19th century. Today, these old prints are considered treasures and have become increasingly rare in the market.
So what makes these hundred-year-old chromolithographs rare today? Their survival, condition, age, historical value, and the limited number of remaining copies.
What is an Oleograph print?
Oleography came after chromolithography as a way to make printed images look and feel more like real oil paintings. The idea was not just to copy the colours, but also the richness, texture, depth, and even the way an oil painting catches light.
Kchi Kafrosh - Chromolithograph print - London from the Purathanam collection
A German Oleograph Print of Yamuna Vihar - by Vasudeo H. Pandya from the Purathanam collection
An Oleograph print of King Shantanu and Matsyagandha by Ravi Varma from the Purathanam collection
Every oleograph first went through the chromolithographic printing process. So basically, chromolithography was the method of printing, while oleography was the final finish or appearance that made the print look like an oil painting.
After printing through the chromolithographic process, the print was given additional finishing touches to achieve that oil painting effect. This is where the process varied a bit. Some oleographs were varnished to add a glossy shine, while others were embossed or had raised areas to imitate brushstrokes. The publisher or printer often chose how to finish the print, depending on the desired look. In the end, that layering, whether glossy, textured, or raised, gave each oleograph its depth and made it feel more like a real oil painting.
So technically, a print can be a chromolithograph by process and an oleograph by appearance.
Let’s Talk About the Press details;
One thing I personally consider very important in old chromolithograph and oleograph prints is the information strip at the bottom. This usually carried the press name, print title, publisher’s details, and sometimes even the registration number. For me, this acts almost like a form of authentication because the print itself tells you where it came from and which press produced it.
Today, very few prints survive with this strip intact. Many were trimmed away during framing by owners who probably did not realise their importance. Even when the strip is missing, the print itself still tells you a lot through its surface, colours, texture, and depth. But the ones that survive with their original information strip intact are rarer still.
Let’s Talk About the Signature
You may have noticed that some Ravi Varma press prints carry a printed “Ravi Varma” signature and some don’t. And I am sure many of you have wondered, does the signature mean it is actually his work?
Let me tell you what I know.
The common belief is straightforward, signature means it is his painting, no signature means it is not. I understand why people think this way. But after eight years and 400+ prints, I can tell you it is not always that simple.
The Ravi Varma Press was his, he founded it and ran it. But he did not print only his own paintings. He supported fellow artists and allowed their works to be printed at the press too, artists like M.V. Dhurandhar, Jhoshi, and A.M. Mali, among others. So not every print that came out of that press was his composition.
Now here is the part that surprises most people.
After Ravi Varma sold the press in 1903, fake signatures started appearing on prints. His name was being attached to work that was not his at all. So even a signature is not something you can fully rely on.
And it gets more layered. Ravi Varma himself painted multiple versions of the same subject — different compositions of the same scene or figure. So even cross-referencing with his known body of work requires a careful, informed eye.
I will be honest with you. There are prints in the Purathanam collection that I have looked at for years and still found difficult to place. Some carry his signature and yet feel so different from his known work. These are not always questions with easy answers.
The signature tells you something. But the painting tells you more. And sometimes even that needs an expert eye. The more time you spend with these prints, the more they reveal. That is what makes collecting them such a fascinating and never-ending journey.
From Chromolithographs to Oleographs: Tracing the Evolution of Ravi Varma Press Prints Through the Purathanam Collection;
At Purathanam, over the past eight years, we have handled more than 400 prints, including, chromolithographs, and oleographs. Looking back at this collection, an interesting pattern begins to emerge.
Many of the earliest Ravi Varma Press prints that have passed through our hands, such as ‘The Birth of Shakuntala’, ‘Saraswati’, ‘Taradevi’, and ‘Ram Vanvas’ are chromolithographs from Girgaum period of the Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press, established in Bombay in 1894. Most of these are large-format prints of unusual sizes, suggesting that the early years of the press were characterised by experimentation and variation in production.
In 1896, following the outbreak of the bubonic plague in Bombay, the press was moved from Girgaum to Ghatkopar. Interestingly, very few prints from this period have appeared in the Purathanam collection. Whether this reflects lower production, disruptions caused by the plague, or simply the survival rate of prints from that period remains an open question.
By 1898, worsening plague conditions led to another move, this time to Malavli near Lonavala. From the Malavli period, we have encountered a larger number of chromolithographs along with some early oleographs. After a fire accident, the press was shifted once again to Karla in 1899. Most of the prints from this later period that have come into our hands are oleographs, suggesting that oleograph printing had by then become the dominant method at the press.
Chawrasi Devathaowali Gai from Ravi Varma Press, Malavli from Purathanam collection
Historical records note that under the technical supervision of the German lithographer Fritz Schleicher, the press evolved into a more advanced industrial operation capable of producing prints in much larger quantities. By this time, image formats had become more standardised, production methods had matured, and output had become more refined. The Malavli and Karla years therefore seem to represent the transition from the experimental chromolithographic phase of the press to the large-scale production of oleographs that would carry Ravi Varma’s images into homes across India. It is perhaps no surprise, then, that a significant portion of the oleographs in Purathanam’s collection originate from the Malavli and Karla presses.
An Oleograph print from Ravi Varma Press Karla depicting Indrajeet Vijay from Purathanam collection
In 1903, Ravi Varma sold the press to Schleicher. Just a few years later, in 1906, Raja Ravi Varma himself passed away. Yet the prints continued their journey, carrying his vision far beyond the walls of the studio. More than a century later, the surviving chromolithographs and oleographs in collections such as Purathanam still tell the remarkable story of how art, technology, and history came together to create India’s most influential printed images.
How to Identify a Lithograph, Chromolithograph, and Oleograph prints;
For a collector, the easiest way to identify these prints is to look at the surface rather than the image itself.
Lithograph
- Usually monochrome, printed in a single colour or shades of a single colour.
- Typically flat, paper-like prints.
- The surface feels smooth, with little or no texture.
Chromolithograph
- Colour prints created using multiple layers of colour.
- Despite the rich colours, the surface usually remains flat and paper-like.
- The image looks vibrant and detailed, but does not attempt to mimic the texture of an oil painting.
Oleograph
- Colour prints made to resemble an oil painting.
- Often printed on thicker paper and may show embossing, texture, or a crackled effect when viewed in the light.
- The image has a richer, more painterly appearance and can sometimes be mistaken for an actual painting from a distance.
In simple words,
Think of it this way, a lithograph looks like a print, a chromolithograph looks like a colourful print, and an oleograph tries to look like a painting. As simple as that.
How to care for Old Lithographs, Chromolithographs and Oleographs;
These prints have already survived more than a century; with a little care, they can survive many more. The biggest enemies of old prints are sunlight, moisture, dust, insects, and careless handling. Avoid displaying them in direct sunlight, as prolonged exposure can cause colours to fade over time. Keep them away from damp walls and humid spaces, which may lead to foxing, mould, or paper deterioration. When handling unframed prints, always ensure your hands are clean and dry, and avoid touching the printed surface more than necessary.
Most antique prints sold today come framed with acrylic protection. Acrylic is lightweight, shatter-resistant, and ideal for safe transportation. However, for long-term preservation, it is worth considering replacing it with good-quality glass, preferably UV-protective glass. Ultraviolet light is one of the primary causes of fading in antique prints, and the glazing serves as the first line of defence against this gradual damage.
If framing, use acid-free mounting materials and ensure the print does not sit directly against the glass. Most importantly, resist the temptation to clean, wash, laminate, or restore a print yourself. In the world of antique prints, preserving original condition is often far more valuable than making a print look new.
A Lesson Learned the Hard Way;
Of all the lessons antique prints have taught me, this one came at a cost.
During the Covid period, I had packed nearly eight framed Ravi Varma prints in a wooden crate for one of Purathanam's most valued collectors. The shipment was ready to leave. At the bottom of the stack was a beautiful Ravi Varma oleograph of Govardhan Lal Maharaj.
Then an accident happened.
The wooden crate had been kept temporarily near a plant for just a day or two. While watering the plant, I accidentally overwatered it. The saucer beneath the pot overflowed, and the excess water slowly seeped into the wooden crate. Unaware of what had happened, I left the crate in place.
By the time the damage was discovered, the water had reached the bottom-most frame, and the print had suffered irreversible loss. What made it particularly heartbreaking was that this century-old print had survived generations of ownership, only to be damaged while in my care, just before it reached its new home.
I immediately informed the collector and refunded the amount for that print while shipping the remaining works. To this day, I remain grateful for his kindness and understanding. A true collector values not only the objects but also the people entrusted with preserving them.
Years have passed, yet I still think about that Govardhan Lal Maharaj print. The incident taught me that antique prints are far more fragile than they appear. Sometimes decades of survival can be undone by a single moment of inattention.
Restoration Services at Purathanam;
That Govardhan Lal Maharaj print incident changed how I think about care. And over the years, I’ve come to accept that damage doesn’t always announce itself, sometimes it arrives quietly, the way water does.
Not every print that comes to us is in perfect condition. Some have tears. Some carry the marks of water, or age, or a century of hands. And while I will always believe that prevention is the first duty of a collector, I also know that some prints deserve a second chance.
Through a conservationist we trust deeply, Purathanam now offers restoration for old chromolithographs and oleographs. Damaged areas are mended using archival Japanese tissue and reversible adhesives, materials chosen specifically because they respect the original without overwriting it. Fragile sections are gently reinforced. Nothing is made to look new. The goal is simply to make sure the print can survive the next hundred years the way it survived the last.
If you have an old print that’s been sitting in a corner because it’s too damaged to display, reach out to us. We’ll take a look and tell you honestly what’s possible.These prints outlasted the people who first hung them. With a little care, they’ll outlast us too.
And…
the next time you come across an old print, pause for a moment and take a closer look. Is it a lithograph, a Chromolithograph, or an Oleograph? Once you know the difference, you begin to see not just a picture on paper, but the remarkable journey of craftsmanship, printing, and history that brought it to life.