Portret van een man met snor 1878 - 1889

A.C. Reelick made this portrait of a man with a moustache, though the precise date remains unknown. Consider the pose: seated, legs crossed casually over the table, one hand in a pocket, offering a glimpse into the construction of masculinity during Reelick's time. In the late 19th century, the photographic portrait became a key tool for constructing and disseminating identity. The sitter's suit, the carefully cultivated moustache, all speak to a certain aspiration, a desire to project an image of bourgeois respectability. Yet, what stories remain untold? What about those excluded from this visual narrative of success and belonging? Photography, while seemingly democratic, often reinforced existing power structures. This portrait, like so many from its era, invites us to reflect on the complexities of representation and the silences that echo within the historical record.