Portret van J.W. Bilders 1881 - 1885

Here is the portrait of J.W. Bilders by Maurits Verveer, a photograph, an oval vignette in sepia tones, now residing at the Rijksmuseum. The subject's commanding mustache is a prominent feature, a symbol of virility and wisdom across cultures. Think of the ancient Assyrian kings, their beards meticulously styled, projecting authority and power. This echoes in later periods, even in our own time. The mustache, as a signifier, transforms. It can be seen as a marker of identity. It projects power, defiance, or even rebellion. Consider the psychoanalytic interpretation: facial hair as a manifestation of subconscious desires, a mask of identity, an effort to assert oneself in the face of mortality. The persistent echo of symbols, and their capacity to reinvent themselves through time, reveals the complex interplay between our past and present.