Fotoreproductie van Calabrische struikrover door Antoine Wiertz before 1868

Edmond Fierlants made this photograph of a Calabrian brigand after an artwork by Antoine Wiertz in the mid-nineteenth century. It presents a figure who seems to embody a romantic vision of banditry, a challenge to established order. Photography in the 1800s served not only as a tool for documentation but also as a medium for circulating and reinterpreting existing artworks, influencing cultural perceptions of history and society. The photographic reproduction of Wiertz’s brigand reflects the fascination with the exotic other but also taps into anxieties about social unrest and the perceived threat to established social norms in Europe at the time. The choice to photograph this particular image speaks volumes about the cultural and political anxieties of the time. The image of a brigand, who is also a kind of antihero, challenges viewers to reconsider the power dynamics between the state and its citizens. To truly understand this artwork, one might look at historical sources and consider the visual culture of the time. Only then can we begin to see how images shape and reflect the complex interplay between art, power, and social change.