Portret van een man met een baard c. 1866 - 1900

This photographic portrait of a bearded man was made by Johan Christiaan Reesinck. The beard is the dominant symbol here, resonating across cultures as a sign of wisdom and virility. In ancient Mesopotamia, intricate beards symbolized power and divinity, a tradition echoed in the beards of pharaohs. Consider how the cleanly shaved faces of Roman soldiers contrasted with the full beards of the Germanic tribes they fought; a visual marker of identity and opposition. The beard’s presence or absence signifies shifting values. Its waxing and waning in fashion reflects broader anxieties about masculinity. The close-cropped beard in this image perhaps reflects a negotiation between tradition and modernity. It is a cyclical dance of cultural expression that continues to evolve.