Portret van John Campbell markies van Lorne, in kilt 1860 - 1880

Curator: Welcome. I'd like to introduce you to "Portret van John Campbell markies van Lorne, in kilt", a photographic portrait likely created between 1860 and 1880 by the artist John Stuart. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: Well, he definitely has *the look*. I mean, that intense gaze... he looks every bit the landed gentry. Almost stern, even. Though I’m not sure the suit jacket goes with the kilt... It gives me the same feeling as wearing sneakers with a tuxedo...a slightly jarring juxtaposition of formal and informal. Curator: The kilt, of course, signals a connection to Highland tradition and Scottish identity. His steady, uncompromising stare also presents ideas about power and heritage during this period. Photography was becoming more popular but also maintained this relationship to status. Editor: Power is definitely what leaps out at me. Look how he's casually leaning against what I assume is his desk, like he owns the whole place! It is interesting the image feels staged in a way but attempts at seeming more natural at the same time. Curator: Exactly. We also see potent cultural symbols presented, in this case. Kilts were becoming romanticised during this era, adopted as a marker of national identity rather than solely clan affiliation. To be clear, the clothing had clear links to the romantic revival. Editor: Interesting. To our contemporary eye, the calculated performance of identity—in how he chooses to present himself visually—feels striking. The framing adds to that sense. That oval border really boxes him in! He almost seems a bit uncomfortable being the subject here, a real posed and formal man frozen in time, Curator: Indeed. Consider how such photographs, reproduced and distributed, helped cement certain visual narratives around class and nationality. Editor: It makes you wonder what he really thought about wearing the kilt and having his photo taken. Was he proud, self-conscious, or perhaps even a bit bored? He is handsome enough but quite proper isn’t he! I find that intriguing... Curator: Right. The photograph freezes a specific moment and ideology. Perhaps his perspective would radically differ, although his expression has an unwavering effect. Editor: So, while the suit might look a tad off to me, his steady, serious stare truly reflects a clear sense of authority that this artwork transmits. A cultural representation of power is at play, isn't it? Curator: Precisely, revealing how constructed images become intertwined with perceptions of heritage and status.