Pre-Raphaelites in Print: The Age of Photomechanical Reproduction

June 18, 2011 – September 17, 2011

Reproductions of famous works of art are relatively inexpensive and widely available in our present age. But before the invention of photography this was not the case. Works of art could only be viewed in the original, or in limited print editions, restricting the range of audience appreciation. The invention of photography in the mid-19th century, however, introduced new possibilities for the reproduction of fine arts. Numerous experimental print processes involving photography—called “photomechanical reproduction”—were introduced with varying degrees of success. This exhibition features a selection of these beautiful images drawn from the Delaware Art Museum’s renowned Bancroft Collection of Pre-Raphaelite Art.

The Council Chamber, Briar Rose Series, 1892 Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) Photogravures, 25 1/2 x 37 1/8 inches © 1892. Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935

The Garden Court, Briar Rose Series, not dated Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) Photogravures, 29 1/2 inches © 1892. Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935

Organizer & Sponsors

Pre-Raphaelites in Print: The Age of Photomechanical Reproduction was organized by the Delaware Art Museum.
This exhibition is made possible by the Hallie Tybout Exhibition Fund.
Additional support is provided by grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Special thanks to Regina Lynch, Research Assistant for Pre-Raphaelites in Print: The Age of Photomechanical Reproduction.