Portret van een man in militair uniform c. 1865 - 1885

Editor: Here we have a photographic portrait from the Rijksmuseum, "Portret van een man in militair uniform," made sometime between 1865 and 1885 by Wegner & Mottu. There's a somber quality to it, isn't there? It feels very posed and formal. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: It's true, the solemnity is almost palpable. It's interesting to consider what it meant to have your photograph taken then. It wasn't the everyday occurrence it is now. I wonder what he was thinking about? Maybe what future generations, like us, would think. Doesn't the sepia tone give the image this ghostly effect, making it look as if he's looking across time? Editor: That’s an amazing point. I hadn't considered the temporal distance so viscerally. He looks quite young too, a little uncomfortable even. Do you think the military regalia was meant to convey a certain kind of power, or something else entirely? Curator: Absolutely. This portrait is as much about conveying status and authority, or, perhaps, projecting an image of bravery as it is about capturing an individual likeness. His stance, the careful arrangement of his hands… Do you see how the light catches the medal? It is like his valor, highlighted! This formality makes me think he had very little say in how the photograph would look, as it was supposed to be an archetype, a symbol, and less about the real person. It makes you think about what’s gained and lost between that reality and the representation. Editor: That is a great thought, the reality versus the representation, it brings a fresh perspective to portraiture that I never thought about before! Curator: Photography captures more than a person; it captures a specific point in time and offers it to the future. And isn't that a very emotional thought?