Groepsfoto van studenten met muziekinstrumenten, achter de piano zit François Buys, naast hem met pet staat Evert Verschuyl en links met hoge hoed staat Anton Buys c. 1880 - 1887

This photograph of music students was taken by Albert Greiner sometime in the 19th century. Here, a piano is the centerpiece, surrounded by the youthful musicians. But notice the curious array of props – the fans, the hats, the cigarettes. The fan, in particular, has a long history, originating in ancient cultures and eventually becoming a symbol of status and refinement in Europe. But here, in the hands of these young men, its meaning is playfully subverted. It appears almost as a theatrical prop, a tongue-in-cheek reference to artistic pretensions. This is not unlike commedia dell’arte. Consider how gestures and symbols persist, transformed through time, carrying echoes of past meanings. This photograph is not merely a record of a moment but a stage where cultural memory and youthful exuberance meet, hinting at the complex ways we perform our identities.