Platemark s2e23 history of prints: Reproductive Prints (part three)

Platemark s2e23 continues hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig’s conversation on reproductive prints. For clarity, a reproductive print is one in which an artist creates a design (a drawing, painting, sculpture) and another artist creates a print after that original design. These can be sanctioned by the first artist or not or they can occur long after the first artist‘s death. It is customary to acknowledge all the artists in the strip of lettering at the bottom of the print (called the address). This way credit is given where due. Over time, reproductive prints became quite formulaic and staid—wait until we get to the early 19th century. When photography was developed in the 1830s, it wasn’t long before there was little need for the reproductive print. But without them, there is no history of prints.