Portret van een onbekende man 1900 - 1914

This small portrait of an unknown man was created by H. Cleffmann. I want to know more about him! The man stands formally in a dark suit. He’s positioned in front of a backdrop of stylized foliage. The whole thing makes me think about painting and the ways we perform identity through dress and setting. It is clearly staged. The man has probably never met the artist. He likely handed his money over and stood where he was told to stand. I wonder what it would be like to be in Cleffmann’s shoes, arranging this man, guiding him and all his anxieties through the sitting, helping him project an image of wealth and success. What was it like to witness this human transaction? How might that have impacted the portrait? It makes you think about how artists are always building on each other's ideas. It's like one big, ongoing conversation. And just like any good conversation, it's open to all sorts of interpretations, with meanings shifting and changing over time.