Walter Benjamin Full name: Walter Bendix Schönfl

ies Benjamin

15 July 1892 – 26 September 1940

Berlin, German Empire

“Europe last intellectual”

The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

 a 1936 essay

3 script is being written

<The Origin Of German Tragic Drama>, <One Way Street>

Founding & Stamping

Lithography Photography

Founding & Stamping

Founding & Stamping

Founding & Stamping

Lithography Founding & Stamping

Lithography Founding & Stamping

PhotographyLithography

Founding & Stamping

Engraving, Etching & Woodcut

Founding & Stamping

Lithography Photography

bronzes, terra cottas, and coins 

sound film graphic art script printing

In principle a work of art has always been reproducible. In principle a work of art has always been reproducible.  In principle a work of art has always been reproducible. In principle a work of art has always been reproducible. 

Keyword: authenticityKeyword: authenticityKeyword: authenticity

The whole sphere of authenticity is outside technical – and, of course, not only technical – reproducibility.

Technical ProductionVS

Manual Production

1. process reproduction is more independent of the original than manual reproduction

2. can put the copy of the original into situations which would be out of reach for the original itself

Keyword: aura

The desire of contemporary masses to bring things “closer” spatially and humanly, which is just as ardent as their bent toward overcoming the uniqueness of every reality by accepting its reproduction.

Keyword: cult & exhibition value

Two polar types stand out; with one, the accent is on the cult value; with the other, on the exhibition value of the work.