Arnold Ising c. 1860 - 1915

This photogravure of Arnold Ising was made by Willem Witsen at the turn of the 20th century in the Netherlands. Witsen belonged to a circle of Amsterdam artists and intellectuals who prized naturalism and sincerity. This photographic portrait appears to exemplify those values. But we shouldn’t be fooled by its seeming artlessness. It's carefully staged, and the aesthetic of naturalism was itself very much in vogue at the time in artistic and intellectual circles. Ising is pictured in the uniform of the upper-middle class: a three-piece suit and bowler hat. These details speak to the sitter's social standing and occupation. The photogravure process itself would have added cost and prestige to the portrait, setting it apart from everyday snapshots. These visual and material clues can be explored further by looking into archives of the period and consulting historical sources. The art historian teases out the meanings sedimented in images and materials, revealing how art always exists in social and institutional contexts.