Fotoreproductie van de titelpagina van Jesu Christi Dei Domini Salvatoris nri Infantia door Edmond Fierlants before 1860

This is a photographic reproduction of the title page of "Jesu Christi Dei Domini Salvatoris Nri Infantia" by Edmond Fierlants, created in the 19th century. The image gives us a clear sense of the materiality of both the original book and this reproduction. We can see the texture of the paper, the way the ink sits on its surface, and the sharp contrast of the printed image. The original title page was a print, probably an engraving, made by cutting lines into a metal plate and then using ink to transfer the image to paper. This reproductive photograph flattens that process, turning a three-dimensional object into a two-dimensional representation. Consider how the original engraving required skilled labor and specialized tools. The act of photographic reproduction, however, democratized access to the image, making it available to a wider audience, while simultaneously distancing us from the original act of making.