Text+and+Image

Although the invention of lithography, etching, and aquatint where known during the 18th century, the publisher or illustrator, decided to illustrate the images using a woodcut. Perhaps, this decision was made because woodcuts remain the purest and one of the oldest forms of printmaking. Unlike many of the other processes they involve no chemicals, which would have suited Aesop's theme of nature throughout the fables. Furthermore, the integrity of the line is maintained in woodcuts and it creates a bold and clear mark unlike other methods such as lithography, which creates a soft line. Thus, the nature of woodcuts reflects the text of the book, as //Aesop's Fables// were ancient and moral tales. The stark black and white color that woodcuts create, reflect the morality and clear cut message of the tales. A lithograph or etching would suggest gray areas in the text's message, as lithography and etchings create a wider range of dark and lights.
 * Text and Image:** The illustrations, were done by James Poupard, who came to Philadelphia from London in 1772. He was an engraver, jeweler, and goldsmith and was also known for his copper engravings of maps. His illustrations in //Aesop's Fables// are beautiful woodcuts [|woodcut]that evoke the main theme of the fable. The Woodcuts also help break up the fables and make clear to the reader when the next fable begins. The format of the text includes the fable, which is then followed by an application that is meant to make the moral of the story clear.