Fotoreproductie van een schilderij, voorstellende Brünnhilde geeft de brokstukken van het zwaard Nothung mee aan de vluchtende Sieglinde before 1876

This photographic reproduction by Victor Angerer depicts Brünnhilde handing the fragments of the sword Nothung to the fleeing Sieglinde. The photograph is a fascinating object in itself. Photography, though seemingly objective, relies entirely on the photographer's choices—composition, exposure, and development all influence the final image. And then there's the choice of subject. Angerer has not simply recorded reality, but a painted scene of Wagnerian mythology. The original painting would itself have been an interpretation, filtered through the artist's hand, brushstrokes, and pigment. By photographing it, Angerer adds another layer of mediation, further distancing us from the original story, but also making it accessible to a wider audience through mass production. This act of reproduction democratizes art but also changes its aura. Ultimately, this work challenges our perception of authenticity, reminding us that meaning is constructed through layers of interpretation and production.