Print Culture and Distribution 1

The 'late age of print' comes from the media theorist Marshall McLuhan in around 1450. 

1760-1840 the industrial revolution happened. Because of the industrial revolution production sped up and became more mechanised which caused a shift in labour and cities began to grow. This meant that there was a need for more products at a faster rate as the industry was expanding quickly. This made a more divided class system which caused the working class to form and come together. The majority of products produced during this time now came from mechanised machines and were produced in mass. The working class created new forms of popular entertainment of which the upper class looked down on. 

In 1820 John Martin was one of the first artists who put his work in a commercial exhibition and charge a larger number of people an entrance fee to see his work rather than work for one paying client. Mass image culture further aided the working class as it made art available to the masses and was not just for the upper classes to own. 

Culture vs popular culture  -->

Levisism says that culture has always been in minority keeping. F.R. Leavis believes that there needs to be an educated few to maintain culture, as only a few can truly understand culture. He thinks that popular culture creates an addiction that does not refresh attitude to life where 'art' makes you question the world.

Aura -->

'The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction' was explored by Walter Benjamin and he questions how art responds to the popular culture of design. Fine art is thought to keep the creativity, authority, mystery and authenticity that technological reproduction of art can't provide, this is knows as the 'aura'. Artists try to tell you how to feel about their art. 

Contemporary print culture -->

Philip James de Loutherbourg introduces a new form of art which was based on perspective as it is framed, however there are moving objects in the gap.

In 1829 the panorama was made famous by Thomas Hornor. The panorama became more popular than pieces of art as they allowed for an immersive experience. 

The use of photography meant that there was no need for portrait painting as photography was a much cheaper, quicker and accurate than hiring a painter. 

Print Cpaitalism -->

In 1842 the idea that images are made for the purpose of profit and the system evolved from the industrial revolution, with its own rules and creates its  own markets centred around images made for purpose of profit.