Portret van een onbekende man in Spaanse klederdracht, mogelijk een edelman c. 1860 - 1875

Juan Laurent made this albumen print of an unknown man, possibly a nobleman, in Spanish costume. This staged portrait reflects the 19th-century fascination with historical revivalism. Laurent, a Frenchman working in Spain, likely catered to a market eager to consume romanticized images of the nation’s past, feeding into the burgeoning tourist industry. The subject's attire, replete with a feathered hat and cape, evokes the grandeur of the Spanish Golden Age. The sword he wields is a potent symbol of power and nobility. But who was this man? Was he a member of the nobility indulging in historical cosplay? Or was he an actor employed by Laurent? The absence of information leaves us to speculate about the social dynamics at play. To truly understand this image, a social historian would need to investigate photographic practices in 19th-century Spain, tourist consumption, and the performance of identity. These are just some of the contexts that shape how we interpret this image today.