Lithographic stone for printing olive-oil tins

This monolithic limestone lithographic matrix was used until the 1960s for printing oil cans produced by the Monini company in Spoleto. Lithographic stone matrices were widely adopted between the 18th and 20th centuries for printing images and texts on various supports, including paper and metal. Lithography relies on the repulsion between water and grease to transfer an image from the stone to the final material. In this case, a variant of the lithographic printing called transfer lithography was employed, which allowed the image to be printed on non-flat metal supports. This method involved the use of a transfer support to collect the image from the lithographic stone and subsequently apply it to the oil cans. Transfer lithography offered greater flexibility in the printing process and allowed the original stone to be preserved.

Over time, printing technology evolved, and lithographic stone matrices were replaced by metal plates and lighter, more resistant synthetic materials. Offset printing, a variant of lithography that uses a cylinder to transfer the image from the lithographic plate to the final support, further improved print quality and detail accuracy. However, the lithographic stone matrix remains an essential element in the history of printmaking and industrial production, reflecting the evolution of printing techniques and their use in creating consumer products.