Fotoreproductie van een nieuwjaarswens door Randolph Caldecott before 1887

This is a photo reproduction of a new year’s greeting by Randolph Caldecott, though its date and precise origin are a mystery. The image is of a printed page, likely from a book, evidenced by the surrounding text and binding. The photographic reproduction process itself is key here. Think about the labor of the photographer, the darkroom technicians, and the printing press operators who made the reproduction possible. The stark black and white tones, the paper’s texture, and the slight blurriness all speak to the mechanical processes involved. This reproduction democratizes the image, allowing a wider audience to access Caldecott's original artwork. It also raises questions about value: is the reproduction a mere copy, or does it possess its own unique worth as a document of a specific time and technology? Ultimately, this object reminds us that art is always entangled with social conditions and ways of making, blurring boundaries between original and copy, art and craft.