Fotoreproductie van een tekening van het Rosenkranzfest door Albrecht Dürer before 1870

This photomechanical reproduction of a drawing after Albrecht Dürer gives us a glimpse into the world of early printmaking and its relationship to social and cultural practices. The original drawing, of the Rosenkranzfest or Feast of the Rosary, was likely created using a quill or metal nib on paper, which allowed for precise, detailed linework. Dürer then captured a scene of the German merchants in Venice celebrating the Feast. The process of photomechanical reproduction speaks to the broader industrial revolution and the rise of mass media in the 19th and 20th centuries. The shift from hand-drawn illustrations to photomechanical reproductions reflects the changing landscape of labor and production during this period. What we see here is not simply a copy, but a translation of artistic expression through the lens of technology and commerce. It reminds us to consider the social, economic, and technological forces that shape the creation and dissemination of art.