Portret van een man 1860 - 1900

This portrait of a man was made by August Döpke, in a small format photograph. This kind of portrait was very common, and we can see these photographs as connected to a broader social and cultural context. Photography became more accessible, allowing for a new democratization of portraiture. Before, only the wealthy could afford to be painted. The image creates meaning through the sitter’s visual codes. The suit, the tie, and the carefully groomed hair all speak to a certain middle-class aspiration. As historians, we can look at studio records, census data, and fashion archives to understand the identity of the sitter and the social norms that shaped his self-presentation. The meaning of this art is contingent on its social and institutional context.