Gezicht op de ruïnes van Magnesia aan de Sipylos before 1869

This photogravure, *Gezicht op de ruïnes van Magnesia aan de Sipylos*, was created by A. Svoboda. The photogravure process allowed for the mass production of photographic images. A copper plate is coated with a light-sensitive gelatin tissue, exposed to a photographic positive, and then etched. The varying depths of the etch create tonal differences when the plate is inked and printed. In Svoboda's time, this printing technique democratized image production. The photogravure allowed for the wide dissemination of views like this one of the ancient ruins. Photography itself was relatively new, and this photogravure process further expanded its reach. It allowed for a blending of artistic expression with the reproducibility of industrial techniques. The creation of photogravures like this one relied on a collaboration between the photographer, the printer, and the broader technologies of the industrial age, which in turn opened up art to a wider public. Hopefully you will appreciate how the meeting of material, making, and context help us to understand the work’s full meaning.