Fotoreproductie van een schilderij, voorstellende Faust ziet Marguerite de kerk verlaten c. 1875 - 1890

This is a photographic reproduction of a painting, depicting a scene from Goethe's Faust, made by an anonymous photographer in the Netherlands. The original painting likely circulated within a network of middle-class art enthusiasts, and this reproduction allowed for broader consumption of high-culture imagery. The scene captures Marguerite leaving a church, encountered by Faust. In 19th-century Europe, the tale of Faust resonated with a society grappling with questions of morality, temptation, and redemption. The rise of the middle class created a demand for art that was both edifying and entertaining. Institutions such as museums and art societies played a key role in shaping public taste and access to culture, but photographs were a way to further disseminate imagery to a wider audience. The photographer and publisher, J.M. Schalekamp in Amsterdam, capitalised on this popular taste by reproducing images that had already received institutional approval. To understand the image better we might want to explore the cultural reception of Goethe's Faust and the history of photographic reproduction in the Netherlands.