Sculptuur van meisje met kan en een gans c. 1855 - 1890

This is a photograph of a ‘Sculptuur van meisje met kan en een gans’ by Johann Friedrich Stiehm. The artwork, likely made of plaster or porcelain, features a young girl holding a jug, standing alongside a goose. The image presents interesting questions about reproduction and distribution, core tenets of industrial production. This photograph allowed the original sculpture to be reproduced, consumed, and circulated on a mass scale. It democratized access to art, making it available to a broader audience beyond the elite circles who could afford original sculptures. Consider how the smooth, white material influences the sculpture's appearance, its inherent qualities of substance, texture, weight, color and form. The seriality of the photograph highlights the labor and politics of consumption and distribution of art, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft. The ease of reproduction transforms a unique artwork into a widely accessible commodity, raising questions about value and authenticity in the age of mechanical reproduction.