Special issue on Mechanical reproduction of art works and artefacts in the 19th century
The peer-reviewed academic journal Umění/Art invites authors to submit article proposals for a special issue entitled "Mechanical reproduction of art works and artefacts in the 19th century."

Abstract submission deadline: 15 February 2025
Article submission deadline: 30 October 2025
Guest editor: Petra Trnková, Institute of Art History of the Czech Academy of Sciences

In the last decade, the topic of mechanical reproduction of art works and artefacts in the 19th century has become a prominent and dynamic area of art historical research, whether in the context of studying the history of the art market, education, exhibitions, or museum and collecting practices. Particular attention has been given to sculpture, graphic art, and photography. This is despite the fact that interest in mechanical reproduction during the first half of the 19th century – in connection with which we can speak of the first “reproduction turn” – affected nearly all areas of human activity and covered a vast array of materials and technologies.
In spite of the scope and thematic breadth of the research to date, it is clear that most scholars have focused primarily on the image (i.e. the shape, the form, the motif depicted or the composition), while neglecting two other, equally important aspects of reproducing artefacts: the effort to reproduce the object (its mass, volume, and haptic qualities, for example), as well as the effort to reproduce the visual effect (the optical qualities of the material used, textures, gloss or patina, the use of retouching, etc). Similarly neglected is the fact that the mechanical reproduction of an artefact entails, in principle, a shift from one material, tool or technology to another, and that the reproduction made was not a solitary affair, but was usually part of an entire chain of reproductions.
The aim of this special issue of the journal Umění/Art is not only to draw attention to the aforementioned aspects but also to highlight the wide spectrum of materials and technologies that appeared in the 19th century and, as a means of reproduction, found application in often very different fields. We assume that papers will also address topics such as authenticity, imitation, the market, the production and distribution of models and prefabricated items, sample books, forgeries, period legislation, museum collections, and hybrid technologies. Articles materially linked to central Europe, but with an overlap with other regions, are particularly welcome.

Guidelines for submission:
- the CFP deadline is 15 February 2025
- proposals should include a title, a 200–300-word abstract, 5 keywords, a 100-word biographical note, and the author’s contact details
- authors will be notified by 28 February 2025
- the submission deadline for full manuscripts is 30 October 2025
- the maximum length for a paper is 45,000 characters (including spaces and footnotes)
- submission email: trnkovaudu.cas.cz

Please note that the special issue will be published in 2026 and that all manuscripts will be peer-reviewed.

For any queries regarding the special issue, please contact the guest editor at trnkovaudu.cas.cz.

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The quarterly journal Umění/Art is devoted to the history of Czech and central-European art from the early Middle Ages up to the 21st century. It welcomes articles with an international focus. Alongside original research articles, the journal publishes also interviews, newly discovered archive materials and reviews. The journal is included in Web of Science (ISI Web of Knowledge) | Scopus | EBSCO | ARTbibliographies Modern | Design and Applied Arts Index | European Science Foundation (European Index for the Humanities – ERIH).

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