Portret van een onbekende man 1879

Dirk Niekerk captured this intriguing portrait of an unknown man using photographic techniques of his time. Notice the man's gaze, steady and direct, reminiscent of the "divine stare" found in ancient Roman portraiture, a technique used to assert authority and connection. This deliberate eye contact echoes through art history—from the penetrating gazes of Renaissance rulers to the unflinching eyes of revolutionary leaders in propaganda posters. Over time, while the contexts shift dramatically, the underlying psychological intent remains: to establish a profound, if not unsettling, bond with the viewer, engaging subconscious processes that evoke respect or even obedience. Here, this early photograph adopts a similar strategy, inviting us to consider how portraiture, regardless of era, taps into our deep-seated instincts for social hierarchy and emotional connection, proving that these visual symbols are not static, but cyclically re-emerge.