Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van het kwartier van Rabelais door Willem Linnig (II) before 1896

This is a photographic reproduction of a painting by Willem Linnig II, made by Alexandre van Antro. The image is quite small, only 113 by 161 mm. We can see the texture of the photographic paper, its color now aged to a warm sepia tone. Photography, though seemingly objective, is always a made thing. It’s a process with close ties to the rise of industrial capitalism. Think of the labor that went into its making; the harvesting of silver, the manufacturing of glass for the camera lens, the production of paper. And of course, the photographer’s own effort in carefully preparing chemicals, printing the image, and mounting it in this book. The choice of subject matter is also telling. The original painting depicts a scene inspired by the work of Rabelais, a writer known for his bawdy, satirical tales of feasting and revelry. Perhaps the photograph was intended to capture the same spirit of abundance, but seen through the lens of a more modern, industrial age. Considering the materials and the making process, we begin to understand the wider social and cultural significance of the work. It bridges fine art and industry, inviting us to consider the relationship between labor, consumption, and artistic representation.