This print is a part of an ambitious series of lithographs published in France by Baron Isidore Taylor (1789–1879) between 1820 and 1878. An international team of artists contributed prints to the 20-volume publication. The goal of the series was to record the medieval monuments of France, which had suffered during the Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, in hopes of raising funds for their restoration. Lithography relies upon the chemical repulsion of water and grease. A design is drawn onto a stone slab or a specially-prepared metal plate using a greasy crayon or a brush and greasy liquid called tusche. After chemically fixing the image onto the surface, ink is rolled over the stone or plate that has been moistened with water. The ink adheres to the greasy drawing but does not stick to any wet areas. The inked stone or plate is passed through a press to create the print. The term lithotint describes a lithograph that displays fine gradations of tonal washes. In the Harding print, notice how the ink forms puddles, not unlike color applied to a watercolor painting.