Portret van een man met baard 1875 - 1899

This is a portrait of a man with a beard by Cornand et Cie. The photograph is set within an oval frame that immediately draws the eye to the subject’s face. The tones are muted, dominated by greys and browns, and the composition centres on the man’s upper body. The lines are clean, creating a sense of order and formality. Photographs from this period functioned as semiotic markers, encoding social status and identity. The man's formal attire—suit and bow tie—combined with his poised posture, presents a carefully constructed image of bourgeois respectability. The oval frame further isolates the figure, suggesting a contained, almost classical sense of self. Yet, the very act of framing also destabilizes the notion of a fixed identity. The subject is both present and distanced, captured within the confines of representation. As we consider this image, remember that portraits like these are not merely records of appearance but complex negotiations of selfhood and social expectations.