Album met twaalf gezichten op steden en plaatsen langs de Rijn 1822 - 1868

This album, made by Julius Niedner, features twelve views of cities and places along the Rhine River. The cover is made of paper that has been printed with text, images, and gilded decorative elements. The cover’s design is a product of industrialization, during which advances in printing enabled the mass production of affordable images. The cover suggests a tension between handmade and machine-made, featuring elaborate gold ornamentation alongside printed images, reflecting a desire for luxury and attention to detail even in mass-produced items. The gilded details, printed onto the cover, mimic the appearance of hand-applied gold leaf, democratizing access to a mark of wealth and status. The album invites consideration of the social and economic forces shaping artistic production and consumption, revealing how new technologies altered the dynamics between craft, industry, and aesthetics.