Portret van een man met snor 1880 - 1900

This is B.J. Pottjewijd’s “Portret van een man met snor”, or “Portrait of a man with a mustache” of unknown date. Pottjewijd, who lived from 1859 to 1941, was working during a time when photography was increasingly used as a way to document and represent individuals and society. Photographs like this, usually commissioned by the sitter, were a way for individuals, typically men of the middle and upper classes, to assert their identity and status. The man's confident gaze, combined with his well-groomed mustache and formal attire, speaks to a desire to project an image of respectability and authority. However, the photograph also subtly hints at the social norms of the time, revealing how identity was carefully constructed and performed through visual representation. There is a palpable tension between the desire to conform to societal expectations and the individual’s unique persona. It serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in identity formation, especially during a time of great social change.