Prentbriefkaart aan Jan Ponstijn en Henriëtte Johanna Petronella van Hilten Possibly 1931

This postcard was made by Leo Gestel, and sent to Jan Ponstijn and Henriëtte Johanna Petronella van Hilten. It has been printed, a process with its own long history. The choice of Adam and Eve as a subject, reproduced on a postcard, speaks to the broader context of the mass production of imagery. The figures’ nudity, originally intended to convey innocence, now seems more like a commodity on display. The printing process itself, involving layers of ink applied to paper, flattens and disseminates what was originally a unique work of art. The card format allows for mass consumption and exchange, turning the religious subject into a collectible item. Gestel’s postcard asks us to consider how reproduction and distribution can shift the meaning of an image, inviting reflection on how images shape our understanding of fundamental narratives. It challenges traditional notions of art by highlighting the role of mass production in shaping cultural values.