Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van schepen aan de rand van een haven door Alfred Wahlberg before 1879

This is a photograph by Johannes Jaeger of Alfred Wahlberg's painting of ships in a harbour. The image is found within the pages of an open book. Given Wahlberg's dates, we can place the original painting and this photomechanical reproduction in Sweden, most likely in the late 19th century. Alfred Wahlberg was known for his atmospheric landscapes and seascapes, often depicting scenes from the Swedish coast. This reproduction suggests how paintings were circulated through Swedish culture, becoming available to a wider public through printed media. We might ask: who was the intended audience for this book? Was it aimed at promoting Swedish art and culture? Was it an effort to celebrate Swedish identity at a time of growing nationalism? Or perhaps a product of the expanding art market? By researching the book in which this photograph appears, along with the biographies of Wahlberg and Jaeger, we can better understand the image’s role in the artistic and cultural landscape of its time.