Fotoreproductie van de fresco's op het plafond van de Sixtijnse Kapel door Michelangelo, voorstellende het scheiden van licht en duisternis c. 1875 - 1900

This is a photographic reproduction of Michelangelo's fresco, "The Separation of Light from Darkness," on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, created by an anonymous photographer. Photography in the 19th century played a crucial role in democratizing access to art, particularly monumental works like the Sistine Chapel, located within the Vatican. Consider the politics of imagery: how does the dissemination of religious art through photography affect its aura and authority? Michelangelo's original was a product of High Renaissance Rome, deeply intertwined with papal power and the Catholic Church's cultural dominance. The fresco, part of a larger narrative of creation, reinforced religious doctrine and the Church's role in interpreting it. This photo challenges the institutions of art. By reproducing and circulating it, the photographer subverts the art world by making it more widely available. To understand this photo fully, we might research the market for art reproductions, the development of photographic techniques, and the Vatican's attitude towards the reproduction of its treasures.