Portret van een man met snor 1895 - 1940

Editor: So, this is a gelatin-silver print called "Portret van een man met snor," or "Portrait of a man with a moustache" from between 1895 and 1940, by Charls & Van Es. It gives me a strong sense of old-world formality... almost comically so, with that handlebar moustache. What leaps out at you? Curator: Oh, this dapper gentleman! He reminds me of a character from a Chekhov play – a touch of the absurd clinging to otherwise respectable airs. It’s interesting to consider that he may have deliberately styled his facial hair to cultivate a very specific persona, but then photography at this time had a theatrical quality. What do you think of the somewhat soft focus in this image? Editor: I notice it! It almost feels like a stylistic choice – a romantic blurring around the edges. Was this typical for photographic portraits of the era? Curator: Precisely. It could be intentional, mimicking painting styles, but it may also suggest the technology was still new enough that crisp, sharp images weren’t quite there yet. The portrait studios were located in Batavia. Does that tell you anything? Editor: Oh, right, old colonial Indonesia... So this probably captures someone from the Dutch colonial elite? Curator: Very likely. It's easy to look at that moustache and laugh, but photographs like this also hold a mirror to a particular moment in history, often reflecting complex social structures and power dynamics. Editor: I never would've thought of the political aspect of a photo like this! Curator: It's all in how we choose to look. That’s what makes art, and history, so endlessly fascinating. Now, I’m wondering what sort of stories this man's moustache could tell. Editor: So much more than just 'funny moustache man', then! This makes me wonder about all the untold stories hidden in old photographs.