Miss Cora met twee leeuwen in een kooi before 1886

This photogravure of Miss Cora with two lions in a cage was created by Frédéric Boissonnas. The printmaking technique is critical to understanding this work. Photogravure combines photography and etching, using light-sensitive gelatin tissue on a copper plate. Once etched, the plate is inked and printed. This labor-intensive method yields rich tones and textures, far beyond the reach of standard photography. The photogravure process would have involved close collaboration between photographer and printer. This division of labor highlights photography's entanglement with industrial production. While Boissonnas captured the image, skilled artisans translated it into a tangible, reproducible object. Consider the context: the print, likely part of a larger publication, circulated images of exotic performers and animals to a wide audience. This commodification of spectacle speaks volumes about the cultural values and economic structures of the time. By focusing on the making of this artwork, we recognize how social dynamics, material processes, and labor intersect to shape its meaning.