Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van een man en vrouw en een slapende man op een roeiboot op zee c. 1885 - 1910

This small photograph reproduces a painting of a man, woman, and a sleeping man on a rowboat at sea. While we don’t know who made the original painting, the photo was produced by Franz Hanfstaengl’s Kunstverlag in Munich. This reproductive method reflects the rise of industrial image making. Photography allowed for the mass dissemination of artworks, like this painting. Note how the tonal range and fine details were captured, simulating the atmosphere of the original. The print is a physical object with inherent qualities; its small scale made it easily portable, which is a contrast to the vastness of the sea depicted. Photographic reproductions democratized art, making it accessible to a wider audience beyond the elite circles who could afford original paintings. This intersects with social issues of class and consumption; a photograph like this could bring the drama of the sea and high art into almost anyone’s home.