Fotoreproductie van een schilderij door Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, voorstellend een portret van Karel V koning van Spanje c. 1860 - 1875

This photographic reproduction of a painting by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz depicts a portrait of Charles V, King of Spain. The anonymous photographer used the then relatively new technology of photography to reproduce an image of power and prestige. Photography democratized image production, making art accessible to a wider audience through mechanical reproduction. However, it also created new hierarchies. This photo-reproduction is not about the hand skills of painting, but instead the mechanical reproduction of a painting. In contrast to the labor-intensive process of oil painting, photography offered a seemingly instantaneous image. The photograph flattens the rich textures and subtle brushwork of the original painting, reducing it to a monochrome image. This shift from unique artwork to reproducible image reflects broader changes in society, with mass production and consumption becoming increasingly prevalent. This reproduction challenges traditional notions of art, blurring the boundaries between original and copy, craft and industry, and labor and capital.