Fotoreproductie van een prent naar Adorazione del Bambino door Correggio 1865 - 1900

This photograph reproduces a print after Correggio’s Adoration of the Child and it resides in an album. We might consider this image as part of the 19th-century phenomenon of art collecting and the development of photography as a reproductive technology. The image is not the original work of art, but rather a copy. During this period, art institutions such as museums and galleries were becoming more prominent. Photography allowed for wider access to art, as people could now own images of famous works. It democratized art but also changed its social function. Religious scenes like this were very popular subjects. The original painting would have been commissioned by a wealthy patron for a church or private collection. The photograph, on the other hand, circulates within a different economy of images. It is a commodity that can be bought and sold. To understand this photograph, we might research the history of photography, the art market in the 19th century, and the role of reproduction in shaping our understanding of art.