Fotoreproductie van het schilderij 'Eerst een snuifje' door Johannes Vetten before 1871

This is a photographic reproduction by Binger & Chits of Johannes Vetten’s painting, “Eerst een snuifje”. The image depicts a man seated in an ornate chair taking snuff, with a table and decorative wall behind him. Although the exact date of both artworks is unknown, the image offers a glimpse into Dutch social life, likely of the 19th century. Snuff-taking, the practice of inhaling powdered tobacco, was once a widespread social ritual, often associated with the upper classes. But beyond its immediate depiction, the image raises questions about the institutional roles of art and photography. Why reproduce this genre painting? Was it for wider distribution, or to preserve a record of Vetten’s work? Understanding this image requires an art historian to delve into Dutch social customs, the history of tobacco, and the development of photography as a tool for art reproduction. It is in such contextual details that the deeper meanings of artworks often reside.