Portret van een man in uniform met pet 1895 - 1920

Editor: This is "Portret van een man in uniform met pet," or "Portrait of a man in uniform with cap", a gelatin silver print from sometime between 1895 and 1920, probably by Carl Sandels. Something about the monochrome palette makes the sitter look a bit stern and imposing. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Oh, I adore stumbling upon portraits like this. Don’t you wonder what tales those mustachioed men could spin? Here’s a fellow caught between centuries. Notice the rigid formality—the uniform precise, medals gleaming faintly. Photography was becoming democratized, yet still held a certain *ceremony.* Almost like capturing a ghost. Does he look hopeful, weighed down, proud or… all? Editor: I see what you mean! The detail is really striking considering the age of the photograph. So, it captures both a specific person and a shift in how people were able to portray themselves? Curator: Precisely! It’s that tension that excites me. We see this man through a lens crafted by emerging modernism, yet the subject yearns to maintain Victorian-era dignity. I wonder, what was *his* world like outside of sitting for the camera? Editor: That contrast between new and old gives the portrait a unique, compelling edge! I am intrigued how what at first sight looks old is still relatable. Curator: Right? History whispers if you listen! It's a single picture holding the story of generations. Each button, each tiny imperfection on the surface is a secret waiting to be unravelled. I could gaze at these silent storytellers for hours.