Fotoreproductie van een prent door Posella van de Madonna del Baldacchino door Rafaël before 1869

This is a photographic reproduction by Joseph Cundall of a print by Posella, after Raphael’s “Madonna del Baldacchino.” The reproduction speaks to the cultural reverence for Renaissance art during the 19th century, a period marked by the rise of photography as a means of disseminating and democratizing access to art. Cundall’s work reflects the Victorian era’s fascination with idealised beauty and religious themes, which often served as a means to reinforce prevailing social norms. The figures in Raphael’s original painting, reproduced here, are imbued with a sense of serene dignity, yet it’s worth asking how such images functioned within the context of 19th century gender and class structures. The Madonna, a symbol of idealized motherhood, was a powerful and often prescriptive image for women, while the inclusion of saints and cherubs reinforced a hierarchical vision of the world, which promoted the authority of the church and ruling classes. Ultimately, this reproduction invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between art, religion, and society during a period of profound social and technological change.