Portret van koetsier Peter Schüngel, bijgenaamd 'de koperen Piet', in kostuum ter gelegenheid van de onafhankelijkheidsfeesten in Dordrecht Possibly 1888

This anonymous photograph captures Peter Schüngel, a coachman nicknamed "the Copper Piet," in costume for Dordrecht's Independence Day celebrations. The subject's attire presents an intriguing study in form and materiality. Encased in what appears to be polished metal, his torso merges seamlessly into the cylindrical base, creating a striking geometric composition. Note how the rigid lines of the costume contrast with the soft, almost painterly backdrop. This juxtaposition invites us to consider the photograph not merely as a record of a historical event but as a visual puzzle. The costume, with its metallic sheen, flattens the figure, almost abstracting it. Here, the photographic medium intersects with performance, blurring the lines between representation and reality. What emerges is a complex interplay of surface and depth, image and identity.