Portret van G. Roger, 1854

This is Adrianus Johannes Ehnle's 1854 portrait of G. Roger, made using lithography. Looking at this portrait through a social lens, it's easy to see the visual codes that signaled status in the Netherlands at this time. The sitter's formal attire and composed demeanor speak to his position within the bourgeoisie, a class gaining prominence during the period of industrialization and shifting social structures. Lithography allowed for a wider distribution of images, contributing to the cult of personality and the representation of public figures. Consider the Rijksmuseum as an institution, too. How does its selection and display of works like this one influence our understanding of Dutch history and identity? To delve deeper, one might explore the archives of portrait societies or examine period publications that discussed the role of citizens in a rapidly changing society.