Fotoreproducties van Het ontbijt door Gabriël Metsu en van De ruïne door Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem c. 1866 - 1874

These photographs of paintings by Gabriël Metsu and Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem were produced anonymously, using photographic methods, likely in the 19th century. Here, we see the potential for photography to reproduce and disseminate artworks to a wider audience. This was a period when photography was still a relatively new medium, and its application to art reproduction democratized access, making art available beyond the elite circles who could afford original paintings. The texture and weight of these photographic prints are a testament to the labor involved in their production, which would have required skilled technicians to operate cameras and manipulate chemicals in the darkroom. The act of photographing paintings also raises questions about the value and authenticity of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. It challenges traditional notions of artistic skill and originality.