Zelfportret, 'Etat maladif-conséquence' c. 1852

This is a self-portrait, 'Etat maladif-conséquence', by Eduard Isaac Asser. The photograph is an oval composition of muted tones, dominated by the artist's somber figure. The delicate balance of light and shadow creates a sense of depth, yet the hazy texture evokes a feeling of transience, a fleeting moment captured. The work destabilizes traditional portraiture through its formal qualities. The artist’s pallor and sunken eyes, combined with the inscription 'Etat maladif', or 'sickly state', challenge the typical representation of health and vitality. The oval format and soft focus further remove it from the rigid conventions of formal portraiture, suggesting vulnerability. Asser uses the emerging technology of photography not to assert presence, but to explore the boundaries between the self and its representation, between health and illness, life and its shadow.