Portret van een jonge man met vlinderstrik Possibly 1872 - 1878

J. Tomáš created this portrait of a young man with a bowtie using photography. The monochromatic palette gives the piece a timeless quality, emphasizing the subject's features through subtle gradations of light and shadow. The composition is structured around the young man's gaze, directed slightly off-center, creating a sense of dynamism within the static medium of photography. The use of a shallow depth of field blurs the background, focusing the viewer’s attention on the texture and form of his hair and the precise knot of his bowtie. Tomáš skillfully plays with contrasts – the crispness of the collar against the soft focus of the backdrop. The portrait engages with ideas of representation and identity, suggesting how photography can capture not just an image, but also an essence. Note how the controlled tonal range contributes to an overall aesthetic that values clarity and structure, inviting us to contemplate the cultural codes embedded in the sitter’s formal attire.