A lithograph is a type of artwork made by the process of lithography, which means printing from a metal plate or stone with a smooth surface, usually onto paper.ithography can be used in the printing of artwork or text onto paper or other materials. Originally, lithography used wax, oil, or fat to draw on a smooth, level plate or stone. The stone was treated with a mixture of gum arabic and acid, which etched the parts of the stone not protected by the oil-based image.