Portret van A.F. Marmelstein 1870 - 1900

This is Albert Greiner’s ‘Portret van A.F. Marmelstein’, a photograph mounted on cardboard. Greiner was active as a photographer in Amsterdam in the late 19th century, and the construction of this photograph reflects the conventions of that time. Consider how the subject, A.F. Marmelstein, is dressed in formal attire. The photograph would have been a signifier of social standing. During this period, photography was increasingly accessible, yet remained a preserve of the middle classes. The photograph provided a means to reflect one's status and project one's identity. This portrait should also be viewed within the social context of Amsterdam's Jewish community at the time. How did photography play a role in the construction of Jewish identity? Consider how this image would have been viewed within and outside that community. What narratives did it either reinforce or challenge? Think about the power of the photographic image as a means of representation during the late 1800s.