Fotoreproductie van een prent naar een fresco van de koningin van Seba die een bezoek brengt aan Salomo door Rafaël voor de loggia's in het Vaticaan before 1861

This is a photomechanical print by Gustav Schauer, made sometime in the late 19th century, after a fresco by Raphael. This fresco is located in the Vatican and depicts the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon. This print testifies to the 19th-century obsession with distributing and consuming images of canonical artworks. The print industry boomed, driven by technological advances, and a growing middle class with time and money to spend on art. Look closely at the scene: Solomon sits enthroned as the Queen kneels before him, offering gifts. The fresco, painted in the early 16th century, embodies the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity and biblical narratives. By the 19th century, Raphael was an artistic institution. Disseminating his works through prints served to reinforce and solidify the canon of Western art. To truly understand this print, we need to delve into the history of printmaking, art markets, and the institutional structures that shaped artistic taste in 19th century Europe. Only then can we fully appreciate its significance as a cultural artifact.