Portret van een onbekende jongen 1855 - 1885

This photographic portrait of an unknown boy was made by Witz et Cie in Rouen, France. The image is small, likely a carte-de-visite, a popular format for portraiture in the mid-to-late 19th century. Photography like this was rapidly becoming more accessible. This raises important questions about who could afford to have their portrait taken, and how they chose to present themselves. The boy in the portrait is dressed in an elaborate velvet suit, which would have signified a certain level of affluence. The portrait also provides insights into the prevailing social norms and expectations of the time. Poses and styles of dress were carefully constructed to convey messages about class, status, and respectability. Looking at sources such as fashion plates, etiquette manuals, and social histories can tell us more about the codes of dress and behavior that this image would have been understood through. The meaning of this image emerges from the context of its creation.