Portret van een jonge man in kostuum met degen, aangeduid als C.A. Bergsma 1860 - 1905

Jan Goedeljee created this small photographic portrait of a young man in costume, likely sometime in the late 19th century. The man is captured in full, standing with a slight contrapposto. His attire—a doublet, puffed breeches, and a feathered cap—positions him theatrically. The photograph's muted sepia tones lend a timeless quality, while the composition, with the subject centrally framed, emphasizes the constructed nature of the image. The texture of the costume, with its intricate patterns and ruffled collar, draws the eye, creating a tactile experience. It is the interplay between the real and the represented, that this portrait invites. The subject's engagement with historical dress raises questions about identity, performance, and the semiotics of representation. This photograph challenges any fixed interpretation, prompting an ongoing dialogue between past and present, reality and artifice.