Portret van Leopoldus Joannes Antonius van der Kun c. 1851 - 1864

Johan Hendrik Hoffmeister created this lithograph portrait of Leopoldus Joannes Antonius van der Kun. Portraits such as this one, reflect the 19th-century's fascination with capturing individual likeness, particularly among the burgeoning middle class. But they also speak to issues of power and representation. Who gets their portrait made, and what does that say about the values of the society? Van der Kun, pictured in his suit and bow tie, embodies the image of the successful, educated man. Consider the gaze; it suggests a sense of self-assurance and authority, reinforcing the sitter's position within the social hierarchy. Hoffmeister's choice of lithography, a relatively new and accessible medium at the time, allowed for wider distribution of such images, further solidifying the subject's status. How might we view this image differently if it depicted someone from a marginalized community? Portraits are never neutral; they are always embedded in complex social and political contexts.