Blätter aus A. Hendschel's Skizzenbuch c. 1870

This is "Blätter aus A. Hendschel's Skizzenbuch" or "Pages from A. Hendschel's sketchbook" by Theodor Huth. It is a photographic reproduction of sketches, bound as a book. Consider the role of sketchbooks in the 19th century. They served as personal spaces for artists to record observations, experiment with ideas, and develop their craft. Huth’s work invites questions about authorship, originality, and the evolving status of photography in relation to drawing. In a rapidly industrializing society, where photography gained prominence, what did it mean to reproduce sketches, intimate and unique objects, through mechanical means? Were they an attempt to democratize art, making it accessible to a wider audience? Or were they a reflection of a changing art world, grappling with new technologies and modes of production? These are questions that echo today, as we continue to grapple with what is lost and gained in a world saturated with images. As you turn the pages of Huth’s book, think about how the act of reproduction shapes our understanding of art.