Fotoreproductie van een prent van reizigers voor een hut bij de berg Wildhorn in de Alpen, Zwitserland before 1882

This is a photoreproduction of an image made by L. Hürner, depicting travelers near a hut on the Wildhorn mountain in the Swiss Alps. Printed on paper, the image’s stark contrasts and detailed linework create a vignette of mountain tourism in the 19th century. Photoreproductions like this one played a crucial role in circulating images, allowing for mass consumption and contributing to the burgeoning tourism industry. The image is a product of industrialization. Consider the labor involved; from the milling of the paper, the printing process, and the skilled work of the artist, these processes imbue the image with cultural significance, documenting not only a scene, but also the network of production and consumption in which it was created. By focusing on materials, making, and context, we can understand the full meaning of an artwork like this, challenging traditional distinctions between documentation, art and craft.