Portret van Karl Friedrich von Naegelsbach 1833 - 1895

This portrait of Karl Friedrich von Naegelsbach was created by Paul Barfus. Notice the sitter’s tightly knotted bow tie, a symbol not merely of fashion but of the constraints and formality of bourgeois society. Consider how such neckwear has evolved – from functional necessity to a marker of status and conformity. Earlier, the Roman soldiers wore a type of neckcloth called the "focale", to protect them from the cold, and to absorb sweat. But the bow tie in particular has morphed into a symbol of the intellectual, the dandy, or even the clown. Think of the subconscious tension it represents: the desire to belong versus the urge to express individuality. This push and pull is a powerful undercurrent, reflecting humanity’s ongoing negotiation between freedom and social expectation. This tension plays out across time, in fashion and in the arts. The bow tie then becomes not just an accessory, but a potent emblem of our collective anxieties.