Portret van een onbekende man 1894 - 1898

This portrait of an unknown man was captured by Landén Larsson, a court photographer in Stockholm. The man’s bow tie, though a small detail, speaks volumes. It’s a symbol of respectability and status, tracing back to the practical cravats of Croatian mercenaries, adopted by the French, and evolving into symbols of elegance. Consider the Renaissance ruff, a rigid collar separating head from body, signifying status and control. Later, we find the cravat, looser, yet still a marker of social standing. The bow tie, a descendant of these, carries echoes of formality, yet with a touch of whimsy. This evolution shows us the ongoing negotiation between individual expression and societal norms. The bow tie, then, is not merely an accessory, but a cultural artifact, its presence engaging our collective memory. The photograph, simple as it seems, evokes a world of social performance and unspoken rules.