Invented from CopiesInvented from Copies

Much has been written about the definitions of originals and copies and their mutual relationship in art philosophy, aesthetics, and art history. It appears these concepts have been valued in different ways and have had different meanings over time. Since criteria for a copy or original also vary - their interrelationships have been open to multiple interpretations - their definitions have often proved unreliable.

It is beyond this study's scope to discuss these different understandings here. We restrict ourselves to definitions and ideas that are relevant for a good understanding of the research, Het Nieuwe Instituut's collecting history and practices and thus the collection of archives it manages.

Copy etymologically derives from Copia, which refers to multiplicity and abundance. Copy applies to documents that are an exact reproduction of an existing document (or object) in form and content. When it is a book, we call it a facsimile; when it is a work of art, we call it a replica. Therefore, it is not a forgery because there is clarity about the origin, production method, and context in which it was made. A copy in this form is rarely found in the archives of Het Nieuwe Instituut. There are, however, several facsimiles in the library, such as the facsimile edition from 1916 of Dutch city maps originally made between 1557 and 1575 by Jacob van Deventer.

The term reproduction is also a copy of an existing document or object but differs in certain respects from the example after which it was made. For example, there may be differences in format, type of paper and material, design, dating and minor substantive changes in titles and captions.

The definition of an original is broad and therefore problematic. Throughout different periods and for various reasons, philosophers, historians, art historians, architects, artists, authors and lawyers and collectors, for example, have understood the term differently, ranging from a contract or legal document to a rare work of art (of which there is only one), a new work of art without precedent, a signed work, a faithful imitation of nature, a work by a famous artist, handmade work, and so on. A common thread in thinking about the original is that, over time, this designation has been morally valued more highly than a copy or reproduction. Another common opinion is that originals are attributed a higher aesthetic and artistic value.

In the collection of Het Nieuwe Instituut, we usually use the adjective 'original' for design sketches and presentation drawings with a high communicative value for a large audience. We also regard reproductions on which notes have been made or which have been redrawn as an original document.

In the research, we use the terms copy and reproduction interchangeably when we usually mean reproduction. We do this for the sake of variety in the vocabulary. When we mean a copy in the sense of a replica or facsimile, it is so named. We avoid the term original wherever possible because of its many meanings. If we use it, the context clarifies the intended meaning.

A blueprint is a photographic printing process because it is made using light. Architectural design practice began using the blueprint as a copying technique in around 1870. During the blueprinting process, the design to be transferred is first drawn onto a transparent sheet, which is then placed on light-sensitive paper prepared with ammonium ferric citrate and potassium ferricyanide. Both documents are laid on top of each other and then exposed to sunlight or artificial light for a set time. The exposed light-sensitive paper turns blue. The unexposed part, below the lines of the drawing, remains white. After developing the image and washing away the chemicals with water, the characteristic blue colour remains, with the design shown in white lines as a negative image.

Like the blueprint, photoreproductive prints are made using sunlight or artificial light. Architectural design began using the photoreproductive print (also known as whiteprint or diazo) as a copying technique around 1890. Like the blueprint, it results from exposing light-sensitive paper, with the design in black lines on a translucent medium. The photoreproductive print uses different chemicals to the blueprint, resulting in a positive image. Therefore, the photoreproductive print is a clearer and more nuanced means of communication and is suitable for adding changes using pen, pencil, or colouring.

Zips are industrially manufactured self-adhesive plastic sheets, patented in 1923 as a graphic medium for illustration and graphic design. They are paper-thin and transparent and are sold as a sheet with a self-adhesive layer and a removable backing. They are available in bright translucent colours with pre-printed patterns, such as roof tiles and paving, as well as items such as trees and furniture. When construction production soars after WWII, the use of Zips for design rendering increases because they expedite the process. Zips were available in many matt and glossy hues. They added colour to the work of architects, artists and designers, and they were heat resistant, making them suitable for light-based reproduction methods. In this way, different shades of grey could be obtained.