Man staat op terwijl fotograaf hem portretteert 1864 - 1902

Jeremias Schill captured this humorous scene using pen in ink. The photograph shows a man mid-action, carrying a chair as he stands to leave, while another man stands behind an old-fashioned camera. The pointing gesture carries weight. Since ancient times, the act of pointing has been linked to authority and command. Think of John the Baptist pointing to Christ. In the 19th century, the gesture reflects the spirit of modernity. It is not about religious power, but rather underscores a desire for action and progress. But there is more to it than that. By pointing, the man rejects the passivity required of him to sit and be portrayed. Here, photography is at odds with the subject's modern desire for autonomy and self-determination. It is a quiet but powerful commentary on the evolving relationship between man and machine. The symbolic act of standing up and pointing toward the door demonstrates not only the changing cultural values of the late 19th century but also suggests the beginnings of a new understanding of human agency in an increasingly mechanized world.