The undisputed inventor of lithography is ALOYS SENEFELDER. He invented this printing technique in 1798. Shortly after his invention it assumed enormous proportions. It spread all over Europe, the Middle and Far-East and America. The Netherlands embraced this revolutionary technique in 1809.
In the Dutch Museum of Lithography at Valkenswaard you can see a unique collection of visual material and techniques. It is worldwide the only museum on Lithography.
The collection, brought together by founding father Peter-Louis Vrijdag, comprises a.o. book illustrations, cartography, commercial posters and lithographic prints of various famous artists such as Kees van Dongen, Alphonse Mucha, Adolphe Willette, Willy Sluyters, but also playing cards, labels, picture postcards, prints, caricatures and (satirical) magazines. Apart from the permanent display the Dutch Museum of Lithography regularly presents exhibitions about artists or a particular theme.
The lithographic presses on display, among which a replica of the first wooden pole press by Senefelder a great number of these machines is still frequently used. On Wednesdays one can meet artists working on a 100 years old stone printing press.