Portia de Rossi's General Public Reproduces Artworks Using Synograph Technology

Actress and collector Portia de Rossi has founded General Public, a company that reproduces major artworks using Synograph, a technique developed with Fujifilm that blends original painting with 3D printing to capture brushstrokes and texture. The reproductions, priced between $300 and a few thousand dollars, are sold online. De Rossi stated to Artnet that Synograph is an upgrade on flat poster prints and aims to disrupt the art world's reliance on rarity and uniqueness, comparing it to the proliferation of novels. However, Artnet News reported that artists receive only about 5% of each sale, sparking criticism. The official launch took place at Galerie Half in Los Angeles, attended by celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, Diane Keaton, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Jennifer Garner. Leonardo DiCaprio also contributed to Magnus, an app that makes sensitive art market data like prices accessible. The initiative has provoked debate on the meaning of art, its reproducibility, and economic value.