Portret van een man met snor en baard c. 1878 - 1886

This photograph, by Cornand et Cie, captures a man with a meticulously groomed mustache and beard. A motif that echoes through time. Facial hair has long served as a potent signifier of identity. In ancient Mesopotamia, elaborate beards were symbols of wisdom and virility, attributes reserved for kings and gods. Consider the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II, whose meticulously curled beard projected an image of absolute authority. Yet, as we transition to other epochs, the beard shifts, adapting to the spirit of each age. Here, our subject’s well-kept beard speaks of a time undergoing rapid industrialization and shifting social structures. It reflects the era’s complex negotiation between tradition and modernity, reflecting a longing for stability and rootedness in the face of unprecedented change. This symbolic evolution reminds us that images are never static; they are living entities that transform as they traverse time, echoing the ever-changing human experience.