Portret van een onbekende Groningse student in maskeradekostuum 1891 - 1900

This is a cabinet card photograph of an unknown Groningen student in masquerade costume by Willem Bernard Bekkering. Dating from the late 19th century, the image provides insight into student culture and the performance of identity during this period. The student’s elaborate costume, complete with a feathered hat and decorative ruff, signals a deliberate construction of persona. This act of dressing up can be viewed as an exploration of selfhood, class, and social roles through the adoption of historical or fictional identities. The photograph, taken in a studio, adds another layer of artifice. The backdrop and props create a theatrical space, blurring the lines between performance and reality. The student's confident pose and direct gaze invite us to consider the performative aspects of identity and the ways in which individuals negotiate their place within society. In a time when social norms were often rigid, masquerade provided an outlet for self-expression and the temporary subversion of expectations. The photograph captures a moment of playful defiance and hints at the complexities of identity formation within the context of late 19th-century student life.