I found this lithograph of Rev. Burchard Villiger, S.J., in the fall of 2010 folded up in a shoe box in the archive storage room in Jesuit Hall. Sometimes an old print is trimmed to fit an existing frame, thereby saving the expense of having a larger frame made. Unfortunately, this original 19th century print has suffered such a fate, having been reduced to 12” x 14.5”. Typically, a lithograph such as this would have a title, the name of the artist, and the name and location of the lithographer. This vital identifying information is often lost when a print is trimmed, and as you can see in the photo, our lithograph retains only the partial name and address of the lithographer: FASY, 1225 No. 17th St. Phila., Pa. The lithographer worked out of a building located near the southeast corner of 17th and Stiles, directly across 17th St. from the current Prep.
So, how old is this image? And what occasion prompted its creation? An untrimmed specimen would likely answer these questions, so my search is on for the “Holy Grail” of Villiger fans like me. I have not seen this image of Villiger before, so perhaps it was made from a lost photograph. His hair and facial features lead me to guess that this dates from the 1870s. Villiger was known as a prodigious fundraiser. Perhaps the print was created as a premium for those who donated to the construction of the Church of the Gesu begun in October 1879. Or maybe it was issued to celebrate Villiger’s Golden Jubilee as a Jesuit, which was commemorated by the very first Mass in the new church on 4 October 1888. It might also have been commissioned for the dedication of the church on 2 December 1888.
Do you have any ideas? Have you ever seen this image? Do you know the lithograph, or have access to an untrimmed example? Please pass along any leads that might help us solve this mystery.
Interested in more information about lithographs? The following link from the Philadelphia Print Shop on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill contains descriptions of various printing processes:
You can also see what’s for sale at the shop. The owner, Don Cresswell, is a map and print expert who occasionally appears on Antiques Road Show, and is the father of Robert Cresswell of the Class of 1992.
