Groepsportret van de officieren op Z.M. schroefstoomschip Curaçao, met Willem van Braam 1871 - 1878

This is a photograph of the officers aboard Z.M. screw steamship Curaçao, including Willem van Braam, created by an anonymous photographer. Here, the officers' crossed arms, a recurrent motif throughout portraiture, echo a sense of both authority and introspection. From ancient Egyptian depictions of pharaohs to Renaissance noblemen, this gesture signifies control but also a guarded interiority, a silent assertion of power refined through the ages. Even in our modern world, we see politicians adopting a similar pose, a calculated projection of composure and command. Consider how these nonverbal gestures resonate within the collective unconscious, and how they have been passed down through generations. This image shows how such symbols are not static, but rather evolve and adapt, mirroring the ebb and flow of cultural values and human experiences.