Reproductie van een ontwerp van een zeegezicht bij Capri before 1898

This reproductive print of a Capri seascape was produced by the Electro-Tint Engraving Company. It gives us a chance to reflect on the changing status of images in modern society. Looking at this work, consider the explosion of mass media at the turn of the 20th century and how photography, printmaking, and other reproductive technologies allowed images to circulate in unprecedented ways. This image would have been a commodity, perhaps a souvenir or an illustration in a book. It is likely that these images would have shaped perceptions of Capri and Italy for those who could not travel there themselves. The rise of mass media raises questions about authenticity, authorship, and the role of images in shaping our understanding of the world, something that continues to be a relevant topic in the 21st century. These are topics that art historians continue to research by looking into archives of printed material and visual culture. This helps us to reveal the complex social life of images and the institutions that produce and circulate them.