Portret van een jonge man met vlinderstrik 1885 - 1906

Editor: This is a gelatin-silver print from between 1885 and 1906, titled "Portrait of a Young Man with Bow Tie", created by W.G. Kuijer & Zonen. It’s got such a formal feel to it. What kind of statements were being made through portraits like this? Curator: Well, during that era, studio photography like this was a signifier of middle-class aspiration and respectability. Having your portrait taken and displayed declared one's social standing, or perhaps one's desired social standing. Editor: So it was a conscious construction of an identity, intended for public consumption? Curator: Exactly! Think about who commissioned such a photograph. Why were W.G. Kuijer & Zonen hired for this work? It wasn’t just to capture a likeness, but to present a very specific version of the subject, which reinforced societal values and hierarchies. The bow tie, the suit, the gaze, all were carefully chosen to project trustworthiness, prosperity and so on. How does that make you think about the democratization of portraiture that followed? Editor: It gives me a fresh outlook on contemporary portraiture. Today we document everything but the careful staging in this gelatin print points to a society very concerned about optics and very interested in portraying itself in a precise way. Thanks, that really opened my eyes! Curator: And for me, it is a great reminder that art is almost always intertwined with broader socio-political and economic structures. We’re shaping, and being shaped by, what we choose to depict.