Fotoreproductie van een getekend portret van Harold Clayton Lloyd 1932 - 1950

This is a photomechanical reproduction of a drawn portrait of Harold Clayton Lloyd, the bespectacled silent film star. While we don't know the identity of the artist, the medium speaks volumes. Photomechanical reproduction allowed for the mass production of images. Here we see it applied to a portrait, which would previously have been unique, and a mark of status. Now, it is infinitely repeatable. The artist has used line work to capture the likeness of Lloyd, focusing on the play of light and shadow to create depth and volume. There’s a strong sense of technical skill at play. But what had once been the domain of highly trained artists was becoming democratized. The hand-drawn element is still present, but it's mediated by the machinery of mechanical reproduction. This piece is a great example of how new technologies, with their own inherent aesthetics, can change not only how art is made, but its social significance too.