Portret van een onbekende man op een stoel c. 1860

This photograph, captured by Nadar, presents an unknown man seated, a relatively novel subject during photography's advent. His relaxed posture, one arm draped casually over the chair's back, the other holding a coat, projects a demeanor of self-assuredness. Yet, it is the chair itself that commands our attention. In art history, the motif of a seated figure is ancient, evocative of authority, contemplation, or even judgment. Think of the Buddha in enlightenment, or a king on his throne; the chair signifies a position of power and contemplation. However, the sitter's informality challenges these notions, and a tension arises. Has this archetypal symbol of authority been turned on its head? Is this image an intimation of a shift of the old orders? This symbol's evolution speaks to our collective memory, revealing how symbols adapt and reflect societal changes. The chair remains, but its meaning is in flux.