Reproductie van een ontwerp van een gezicht op de Pollard Memorial Library te Lowell before 1892

This is a reproduction of a design of the Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell. Though the artist is unknown, we can still consider this image as a fascinating artifact. It is made of paper and ink, humble materials that nonetheless allow us to engage with architecture in a tangible way. The image would have been created through a printing process, most likely lithography, which involves transferring an image from a stone or metal plate onto paper. Notice the level of detail captured in the image, from the texture of the stonework to the intricate fenestration. The decision to reproduce the library design in print suggests that the building held cultural significance, worth disseminating widely, beyond the immediate community. The amount of work involved in creating the original design, and then reproducing it, speaks to the value placed on this civic institution. The library's design must have held aspirations of knowledge, progress, and public good that were tightly bound up with the ideals of the community. It reminds us that even seemingly simple reproductions can be powerful tools for shaping public perception.