In response to Walter Benjamin’s statement “To an even greater degree the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility. From a photographic negative, for example, one can make any number of prints; to ask for the authentic print makes no sense.” (Benjamin, 1936) I disagree as even though some authenticity and specialness may be lost as it’s has been reproduced and is not one of a kind anymore. I believe there is still a certain aura and emotional importance that comes with the original negative. To know that it is the first one and obtains that place in history and time does links a stronger emotion to the piece of art, rather than just its aesthetic importance or beauty. For example Michelangelo’s David in Florence, Italy has had many replicas made of it, which all share the same physical and artistic traits. However standing in front of the original David, would bring out a certain emotion that the physical beauty of the statue, which all the replicas share; could not. Just knowing that it was the first and thinking about its time and place in history would create such a powerful aura of importance that no replica could imitate through its comparable beauty.
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