Portret van een man met snor en baard 1873 - 1909

Idanus Hendrikus Slaterus made this small portrait of a man with a moustache and beard in an unknown place and time. Photography during the nineteenth century served as a tool for social documentation and personal representation, though only for those who could afford it. The framing and composition, common in that era, reflect a desire to capture and preserve one’s likeness in a manner previously reserved for the wealthy who commissioned painted portraits. Here the man’s suit and tie, combined with his well-maintained facial hair, speaks to a certain level of middle-class respectability and adherence to social norms. Understanding this image fully requires us to look into the history of photography as a social practice: How did the rise of photography influence painting? Who had access to the medium, and what statements were they trying to make? Further research into archives might reveal the sitter's social position and political affiliations, adding layers of meaning to this simple portrait.