Reproductie van een prent van een mythologische voorstelling before 1878

This is a reproduction of a print depicting a mythological scene, made by M. Lefman. Prints such as this circulated widely in 19th-century Europe, acting as a key way for people to see and understand both historical and contemporary art. The scene depicted here looks back to classical antiquity, specifically to scenes popularised during the Renaissance. We can ask what it meant to return to these scenes at this later date. Were they simply a means of representing ideal beauty, or did they have a deeper cultural meaning? To answer this, the art historian might consult archives, private letters, or other sources, to show how the image might have been understood at the time. Close attention to the institutional context of the print, and Lefman’s practice, is therefore vital to understanding its broader social and cultural significance.