Fotoreproductie van een prent naar een schilderij door George Romney, voorstellend William Shakespeare als baby die verzorgd wordt door vrouwelijke personificaties van tragedie en komedie before 1864

This photogravure reproduces a painting by George Romney, showing William Shakespeare as a baby being cared for by female figures of tragedy and comedy. The photogravure process involves coating a copper plate with a light-sensitive gelatin tissue, exposing it to a photographic negative, and then etching the plate to create an image that can be printed. This was a popular method for reproducing artworks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The labor-intensive nature of photogravure meant that it was often used for high-end publications. The final product results from a convergence of artistic skill, chemical processes, and mechanical reproduction, reflecting a cultural desire to democratize access to art through print. This photogravure enabled mass consumption of Shakespeare, embedding his image into everyday life and popular culture. This image is a testament to the enduring power of visual media to shape our understanding of cultural icons, blurring the lines between fine art and mass production.