Portret van een onbekende jongen in een matrozenpak 1880 - 1920

Simon Bakker Jz. made this portrait of an unknown boy in a sailor suit, using a photographic process common at the time. Bakker, who lived from 1877 to 1930, captured a moment reflective of its era. The sailor suit, while seemingly innocent, speaks volumes about the social constructs of boyhood and class. It was a popular fashion for boys, mirroring the growing naval power of European nations and the romanticism associated with maritime adventures. But who was this boy? Was this garment an aspirational symbol imposed upon him, or a true reflection of his identity or family background? The boy's reserved stance complicates the image. His expression is unreadable. He neither embodies youthful exuberance nor appears to be a miniature sailor ready to command the seas. This photograph invites us to reflect on the layers of identity, performance, and representation embedded in what might first appear to be a simple portrait.