Portret van een zittende man 1855 - 1880

The Gebroeders Sanders, whose dates are unknown, created this portrait of a seated man through early photographic methods. The photograph is small, like a token, an intimate memento of a person who likely held social standing, evidenced by his formal attire. The man’s gaze is direct, yet there's a palpable distance. During this era, photographic portraits were a way for the middle class to participate in visual culture, a practice previously reserved for the aristocracy through painting. Yet, these early photographs often carried a stiffness, a self-consciousness, as the subjects navigated this new form of representation. Consider the implicit power dynamics at play: the sitter, the photographers, and the eventual viewers of this image. Think about how identity is constructed and preserved through such images. The photograph captures more than just a likeness; it encapsulates a moment in the ongoing negotiation of class, identity, and representation.