In the 1820s, French publishing, following the example set by the illustrated book, put lithography in the service of what was starting to be known in French as “ illustration”– illustration. At the same time, the term “imagerie”, fallen into disuse since the end of the Middle Ages, came back into use in order to designate the places where pictures aimed at an unlettered public were made and sold. These two main families of pictures were to constantly intersect with each other during the remaining of the century: the making of pictures for a popular audience became an industry, renewed its themes, diversified and enlarged its public; illustration for its part not only invaded the press but also contributed to the general fervour for pictures. If reformers show themselves keen to create pictures of a more ambitious nature for the popular audience, critics both deplored the sweetening of traditional imagery and the mediocrity of the new pictures.