Reproductie van een portret van Adam Duncan before 1881

This is a reproduction of a portrait of Adam Duncan. It is a printed image in a book. Look closely, and you'll see the effect of the printing process: the way the ink sits on the page, creating texture. This reproduction is not just a copy of the original portrait; it is a record of a specific moment in time. How the portrait has been received, disseminated, and understood. Reproductions like this one were fundamental to the creation of a shared visual culture. They made images accessible to a wider audience, outside of the elite circles who would have commissioned an original portrait. They also raise questions about labor. It took many hands to produce this book, from the papermakers, to the typesetters, printers, and binders, as well as the author. It is important to consider the social and economic context in which artworks are made, and the many different kinds of work that go into their production.