Portret van een onbekende man uit de omgeving van Sonai in Assam before 1868

This is a portrait of an unknown man from Sonai, Assam, captured by Benjamin Simpson. Simpson was active during a time when the British Empire sought to document and categorize the peoples of its colonies. This image, sepia-toned and carefully composed, offers a window into the complex dynamics of colonial encounters. The man's gaze, averted yet dignified, speaks to the nuanced relationship between the photographer and the photographed, the colonizer and the colonized. The inclusion of what appears to be a traditional weapon complicates the narrative. Is it a symbol of resistance, tradition, or something else entirely? Consider how such portraits played a role in constructing and reinforcing colonial narratives, while also serving as a record of individual existence within a larger historical context. It prompts us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in portraiture and the ways in which identity is shaped by both self-representation and external perception.