Gezicht op een boer en het achterwerk van een stier c. 1879

This image captures the gaze of Hermann Schreiber, immortalized in a book page. The book, printed with ink on paper, blends the mechanical reproduction of images with textual descriptions. Look closely at the material qualities – the paper's texture, the ink's sheen, and the way the image is framed by the surrounding text. This integration of image and text underscores the role of print in shaping scientific and cultural knowledge of the time. Consider the labor and social context embedded in its making. From the industrial production of paper and ink, to the skilled labor of typesetting and printing, the book reflects the complex networks of production and consumption characteristic of modern capitalism. Its circulation would have contributed to the commodification of the natural world. It challenges traditional hierarchies between art and craft, inviting us to recognize the value and significance of mass-produced images in shaping our understanding of the world.