Portret van een onbekende jonge man 1897 - 1909

Jannes Faber, a photographer and portrait artist from Uithuizen, Netherlands, made this portrait of an unknown young man. Though we don't know the sitter, the image itself speaks volumes about social status and cultural aspirations. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, photography became increasingly accessible, allowing people outside the elite to participate in the production of their own image. Here, the young man is dressed in a suit and bow tie, visual codes of middle-class respectability. The rise of photography studios coincided with the growth of a consumer culture that had an impact on self-perception. This image offered a way to present a carefully constructed identity. It could be seen as an attempt to solidify or even elevate his position in society. Historical records, such as census data and local archives, could provide additional information on the context in which this portrait was made and the cultural meanings it held. This would allow us to understand the social dynamics in the Netherlands at the time.