Gipsafgietsel van een vaas met reliëf in het Musée des monuments français te Parijs c. 1875 - 1900

Médéric Mieusement made this plaster cast of a vase at the Musée des monuments français in Paris. Plaster is a humble material, easily worked, and perfect for capturing fine details. But consider: why make this copy at all? Mieusement was part of a wave of 19th-century photographers who documented historical monuments. Photography and plaster casting both played a role in preservation and dissemination, allowing people to study art and architecture without traveling to the original sites. This was a booming field at the time, part of a larger system of architectural revivals. Plaster casts also democratized art, making it accessible to a wider audience. Think of it: here was a way to bring the grandeur of Versailles to a middle-class home. But the copy also raised questions about authenticity and value: could a plaster cast ever truly replace the original? These are questions we still grapple with today, as digital reproductions become ever more prevalent.