Portret van een man met baard 1855 - 1865

Editor: This is "Portret van een man met baard," or Portrait of a Man with Beard, dating from between 1855 and 1865, by Susse freres Estienne et Cie. It’s a photograph. What strikes me is its incredible formality, even severity. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a fascinating glimpse into the social landscape of the mid-19th century. Photography was rapidly changing visual culture. Portraiture became accessible to a wider middle class, but was deeply shaped by conventions inherited from painting and early photographic processes. Think about the rise of bourgeois values at this time. What might a portrait like this have signified for the sitter, and its viewers? Editor: So, beyond just capturing a likeness, this kind of portrait served a purpose? Curator: Exactly! It projects an image of respectability, stability, even power. The man’s attire, the pose, and the slightly stiff formality all communicate social standing. It was about constructing and communicating identity in a rapidly changing world. These images, mass produced as they were, ended up in family albums becoming markers of lineage. How do you see it fitting into these wider historical developments? Editor: That makes sense. Knowing its context reframes my perception entirely; it's not just a photo of a man, it’s a carefully constructed statement. Curator: Indeed. The formal constraints also allowed photographers like Susse freres Estienne et Cie. to find space to challenge and reshape our understandings of portraiture within this period, contributing to complex power structures related to class and image-making that remain prevalent today. Editor: This really opens up a new way of viewing portraiture. It is like the history of visual culture is embedded in one photo. Thanks so much. Curator: My pleasure, it highlights how seemingly simple images can reflect profound social and historical shifts.