Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van de aartsengel Michael door Guido Reni before 1860

This is a photographic reproduction in a book of Guido Reni's famous painting of the Archangel Michael. Looking at the image in its cultural context, this reproduction is found in a novel. It is clear that the author expected the reader to be familiar with Reni's work, to be able to visualize it from this small, monochrome image. It speaks to the cultural capital that such artworks had at this time, and the role of religious imagery in shaping the moral and aesthetic values of society. What does it mean to encounter a masterpiece in this form? The presence of this photograph in a novel shows how art could permeate different aspects of Victorian life, influencing literature, morality, and even personal identity. As historians, we can delve into the cultural significance of such artworks by studying not only the original paintings but also their reproductions and references in literature, exploring how they shaped the imagination and values of different eras.