Portret van een onbekende man 1901 - 1908

This is Edward van Boghout's small portrait of an unknown man. The sepia tone and vignette give it a dreamlike quality, as if we're peering into the past. Structurally, the portrait is composed of soft gradations and gentle curves. Notice how the sitter is centered, his dark suit contrasting with the light background. This contrast emphasizes the face, the focal point of the composition. The choice of sepia affects our perception, invoking nostalgia and a sense of timelessness. But the image is also interesting for what we can't know. Its formal structure invites us to consider semiotics, and the cultural codes of representation in portraiture. As such, Van Boghout encourages a reading of the surface as a site of meaning. Consider the composition and its tonal range: here is a formal arrangement but it is also a cultural artifact that reflects a very particular moment in the history of photography and representation.