Portret van een onbekende jonge man 1863 - 1885

This carte-de-visite, a photograph of an unknown young man, was made by Jules Delsart in France sometime in the late 19th century. These small portraits were immensely popular during the Victorian era. Considered a middle-class commodity, they fulfilled a desire for accessible portraiture while also reflecting social status. Photography studios like Delsart’s facilitated this boom, churning out portraits that captured the likeness and aspirations of their sitters. The sitter’s attire, a dark suit and tie, is a mark of bourgeois respectability. The oval vignette and sepia tone, techniques often used in cartes-de-visite, contributed to a sense of timelessness and decorum. The carte-de-visite is a fascinating study in the democratization of portraiture and the rise of visual culture. Further research into studio photography, social history and the material culture of the 19th century would shed light on the social dynamics captured in this small photograph.