Portret van een staande man bij een stoel 1855 - 1900

This is a photograph titled, "Portret van een staande man bij een stoel," made by The London School of Photography. It depicts a man standing next to a chair, rendered in a style that reflects the conventions of late 19th-century portraiture. During this era, photography became increasingly accessible, allowing a broader spectrum of society to participate in image-making, yet, the formality and posing still echoed the traditions of painted portraiture, often reserved for the elite. The subject's attire and posture speak to a particular vision of masculinity: composed, respectable, and aligned with the social expectations of the time. How might this carefully constructed image challenge or reinforce prevailing notions of identity and status? Consider also the power dynamics inherent in portraiture – who has the agency to represent whom, and what stories remain untold in this formal depiction?