Portret van een jonge man 1878 - 1885

Eugene Guérin made this portrait of a young man in the photographic medium, most likely in France during the late 19th century. Photography at this time was becoming increasingly accessible, and cartes-de-visite like this one were popular for personal use, not just for the wealthy. The subject's dress suggests a bourgeois background. But the rise of photography also occurred alongside debates about its status as art. Could a mechanical process truly capture the human spirit, or was it merely a tool for documentation? Guérin, as a photographer working in this period, would have been acutely aware of these questions, and his work contributes to the ongoing conversation. To further understand Guérin’s position, one might investigate the photographic societies and salons of the time, or delve into critical writings about photography's role in shaping social perceptions and memories. The meaning of this portrait is thus revealed through its historical and institutional context.