Portret van N.W.P. Rauwenhoff, lid van de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Akademie van Wetenschappen 1857 - 1864

Curator: Looking at this albumen print dating back to sometime between 1857 and 1864, we see a certain N.W.P. Rauwenhoff. The image is credited to Wegner & Mottu. It’s striking, isn’t it? Editor: It has that air of somberness you often find in early photography. A very composed gentleman, sitting with a posture that tells you about Victorian society without needing any text to explain. Almost sepia, but definitely monochromatic... feels a bit haunting, maybe? Curator: It’s fascinating to think about the societal pressure on people like Rauwenhoff – a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences – to present such a dignified, almost unapproachable persona for public consumption. How photography helped solidify such images! Editor: Absolutely! It’s almost as if his very beard is making a statement! But I do wonder if photography in its relative infancy also influenced painting—do you think artists consciously leaned into or away from the perceived 'objectivity' of photography at the time? It is fascinating to think of the new forms that emerged in that push-pull of art making. Curator: An excellent point. And while some saw photography as a purely mechanical means of image creation, others, like Wegner and Mottu here, really embraced its potential as a tool of documentation and subtle artistry. Even the backdrop here suggests a studio setting mimicking a grand interior! Editor: Mimicking a grand interior, but hinting too at how controlled and constructed this image, and probably his role in society was, with just the subtlest touches of light. One wonders what the unbuttoned Rauwenhoff would be like at home after a day debating science in the Academy... and how we never see him. Curator: Well, Rauwenhoff certainly remains a compelling enigma, partially thanks to the photographers' ability to capture that poised intensity and alluding to an entire world kept out of view. Editor: Indeed! He invites us to reflect on visibility, image, power, and even what constitutes real personhood. Thank you N.W.P. Rauwenhoff, for reminding us.