Fotoreproductie van Griseldis 1870 - 1890

This is a photographic reproduction of Griseldis, made by an anonymous artist, using techniques that bridge the gap between art and industry. Photography in this era was a relatively new medium, deeply intertwined with the rise of industrial processes. The image captures the likeness of a woman, Griseldis, engaged in the everyday task of collecting water. The reproducible nature of photography democratized image-making, moving away from unique, hand-crafted artworks to mass-produced images available to a wider audience. Note the tonal range achieved through chemical processes on paper. The photographic print is not just a representation, but also an object with its own material presence. Each print, while similar, possesses slight variations, bearing witness to the artist’s labor and skill involved in manipulating light and chemistry to capture the image. Considering the social context of labor, politics, and consumption, we begin to appreciate how photography in this period played a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of reality, blurring the lines between fine art, craft, and industrial production.