Fotoreproductie van L'Incendie de la Jungle door Jean Baptiste Robie before 1883

This is a photograph by Alexandre, made sometime between 1855 and 1925, reproducing Jean Baptiste Robie's painting, 'L'Incendie de la Jungle'. The photographic process, itself a relatively new technology at the time, allowed for the mass production and distribution of images, transforming how art was consumed. Rather than engaging with an original painting, viewers could now encounter art through reproducible media. Consider the labor involved: not just Robie's brushstrokes in the original painting, but also Alexandre’s expertise in photography, and the industrial processes required to produce photographic prints. The photograph flattens the original brushwork into tones, and alters the texture of the original artwork, creating a new aesthetic experience, transforming a painting into a commodity. By examining the materials and processes behind this image, we can reflect on the changing relationship between art, labor, and consumption in the modern era, and the role that photography played in democratizing access to art.