Portret van een onbekend kind in een stoel 1865 - 1866

This is a mounted albumen print entitled ‘Portret van een onbekend kind in een stoel’ by August Rombaut. The central structure of the composition immediately draws the eye. The photograph features a child seated in a wooden chair, positioned squarely in the frame’s center. Note how the chair's lines are rigid and geometric against the soft curves of the child's face and dress. This juxtaposition creates a visual tension, typical of portrait photography of the time. The monochromatic palette further emphasizes the interplay of light and shadow, modeling the forms and giving depth to the image. The composition is carefully arranged, with the chair and child centered against a neutral backdrop. This arrangement suggests a structured, almost formal setting, contrasting with the vulnerability typically associated with childhood portraiture. Through these formal choices, Rombaut destabilizes fixed notions of portraiture. It invites reflection on the power dynamics inherent in representation, and on the photographic medium’s capacity to capture and construct identities.