Portret van een man met stropdas 1880 - 1918

This small photographic print, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century, was created by J. Siewers & Zoon, and depicts a man wearing a suit and tie. Studio portraiture like this was a booming business in many Western countries, as photography became more accessible to the middle classes. This image reflects the increasing importance of bourgeois values and the rise of a consumer culture. The subject's attire—a suit and tie—speaks to the norms of middle-class respectability. To better understand this image, we might research the Siewers studio. Did they cater to a particular clientele? Were they known for a certain style? By looking into these questions, we can understand the cultural work this small photograph once performed, and continues to perform today.