Fotoreproductie van Het lichtbaken van Golgotha door Antoine Wiertz before 1868

This is a photographic reproduction by Edmond Fierlants of Antoine Wiertz's painting, "The Beacon of Golgotha." The photograph, made through a chemical and mechanical process, flattens the original's dramatic brushstrokes and bold colors into a muted, tonal image. Note how the darkroom processes affect our reading of the image. The ethereal light now appears as stark contrasts, and the figures seem to emerge from a hazy, manufactured mist. Photography in the 19th century democratized art by enabling mass production and distribution of images. It severed the direct link between artistic skill and image creation, shifting value towards reproducibility and accessibility. The ease with which photography could disseminate images also raises questions about originality, labor, and the changing nature of artistic production in an industrial age. In considering this image, let's acknowledge the layered processes and contexts that shape our understanding of art and its relationship to the wider world.