Portret van (vermoedelijk) een Delftse student in korte jas en pofbroek c. 1871 - 1905

This portrait of a young man in distinctive garb was made in the Netherlands by Frederik Christiaan Filip Gräfe in the mid-19th century. The subject's clothing speaks to the traditions of student societies in university towns like Delft. These groups often adopted historical or folkloric imagery, dressing up in costumes that evoked a romanticized past. Consider the plumed hat and puffed sleeves, recalling the Dutch Golden Age. What's interesting here is how the trappings of tradition are being deployed in a relatively new medium – photography – and within the specific context of student life. It suggests a self-conscious attempt to forge a unique cultural identity. To understand this image better, one could delve into the archives of Dutch student organizations, examining their rituals, symbols, and the broader social role they played at the time. Only through such research can we hope to understand the complex interplay between tradition, identity, and the emerging visual culture of the 19th century.