Fotoreproductie van een tekening van een vrouw die een baby verschoont c. 1871 - 1881

This reproduction of a drawing depicting a woman changing a baby is made using photographic processes. The original artwork's medium, likely graphite or ink, informs the tonal range of the photographic print. The texture and weight of the original drawing translates into the print, albeit with the mechanical intervention of the camera lens and printing press. What was once a unique, hand-rendered image has been replicated, speaking to broader shifts in modes of production and the dissemination of imagery. The tools and techniques involved in creating this reproduction—the camera, darkroom processes, and printing technology—are indicative of an industrializing society, reflecting the increasing mechanization of art production. This reproduction democratizes access to the image, yet also separates it from the aura of the original, raising questions about labor, value, and authenticity in an age of mechanical reproduction. Paying close attention to the materials, making, and context behind an artwork like this enables us to fully understand its meaning, and challenges the traditional distinction between fine art and craft.