Studioportret van een staande man met baard en snor bij een tafel, hij draagt een lange jas c. 1863 - 1866

This studio portrait of a standing man with a beard, captured by Abdullah Frères, presents a study in contrasts of texture and tone. Executed through photographic means, the artists manipulate light to sculpt the subject's form, emphasizing the materiality of his attire. The dark, smooth coat and the textured beard juxtapose against the soft backdrop. Structurally, the composition centers on the figure, whose gaze meets ours directly. The subtle asymmetry, with the figure slightly off-center and the cherubic figure at a table to the left, adds depth to the photograph. This asymmetry destabilizes the rigid formality typically associated with portraiture of the period, hinting at a more complex narrative beyond mere representation. The varying shades and tones capture a sense of depth that plays with the ideas of realism prevalent at the time. This interplay functions as a visual signifier, engaging with broader notions of identity and representation and underscoring the constructed nature of photographic imagery.