Gredin de Sort!...

Vernet employed the lithographic process, drawing directly on a stone with greasy crayons before transferring the image to paper. After printing, he brushed ink‑like washes across the surface, producing a contrast between crisp line work and softer tonal areas. This combination gives the composition a spontaneous, sketch‑like quality.

The print is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it is listed as a proof rather than a finished edition. Its presence in a major American collection reflects the early 19th‑century interest in French lithography among European and transatlantic collectors.

During the 1820s lithography emerged as a popular medium in France because it allowed artists to work directly on the matrix, bypassing the more labor‑intensive engraving process. Vernet’s use of the technique aligns with this broader shift toward quicker, more expressive printmaking methods among his contemporaries.