Fotoreproductie van een schilderij, voorstellende Gunter, Hagen en Gutrune in de Hof van de Gibichungen before 1876

This photogravure by Victor Angerer depicts Gunter, Hagen, and Gutrune in the hall of the Gibichungs. It comes from an illustrated book of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, likely produced towards the end of the 19th century. Wagner's operas were steeped in the mythology of Germanic and Norse sagas, which fueled a sense of national identity during the unification of Germany. The Ring Cycle, in particular, is an epic that wrestles with themes of power, corruption, and the fate of heroes. In this scene, we see the protagonists in a moment of dramatic tension. What strikes me is how Angerer captures the weight of Wagner’s themes within the constraints of a small print. It's a reminder that even reproductions can convey powerful narratives and play a role in shaping cultural identity. The heroic and romantic representation may strike contemporary viewers as antiquated, yet it provides us with a glimpse into the artistic and cultural values of its time.