Fotoreproductie van een prent, voorstellende Satan bekijkt Adam en Eva before 1876

This is a reproduction of a print, depicting Satan observing Adam and Eve; the date and original maker are unknown. As a reproduction, it is important to consider the technologies of image-making that enabled it. The original print would have likely been an engraving or etching. These intaglio processes involve painstaking work: carving lines into a metal plate, inking the plate, and then using a press to transfer the image to paper. With the development of photography and photomechanical reproduction, this laborious process could be bypassed. The image could be captured photographically, and then transferred to a printing plate using a chemical process. This opened up the possibility of mass production and distribution of images, making art more accessible but also changing its status. The aura of the unique, handmade object was replaced by the reproducible image, raising questions about authenticity, value, and the role of labor in art production.