Portret van een onbekende man 1871 - 1891

Curator: This is "Portret van een onbekende man," an enigmatic gelatin silver print currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Its creation is dated between 1871 and 1891, by Johannes Baer. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the air of introspection around this unknown man. The muted tones create a feeling of quiet contemplation, almost melancholic, despite his fairly proper attire. Curator: The lack of specific details about the subject encourages us to explore broader questions about identity. In a society obsessed with cataloging and defining individuals, the very title, "Portret van een onbekende man," becomes a statement. What does it mean to be unknown, to be without a readily accessible narrative in historical records? How many stories are forever lost? Editor: The oval frame adds another layer. The shape evokes the kind of keepsake imagery of the period; brooches and lockets containing hair and images that acted like memory objects. Notice, too, the framing of the man's gaze, almost directly at the viewer. It invites us to connect with him despite his anonymity, drawing us in through visual connection in ways that can bypass more conventional modes of understanding someone. The symmetry achieved by Baer in framing his composition amplifies the subjects seriousness, or, in other words, communicates that this is a person to take seriously. Curator: Indeed. By photographing a person deemed "unknown," Baer disrupts established hierarchies and power structures that often determined whose stories were deemed worthy of preservation. In doing so, he allows for the creation of alternative narratives around marginalized figures whose voices may have otherwise been silenced. Furthermore, this challenges the historical narrative of art which has frequently been biased towards the privileged members of society, forcing us to reconsider our criteria for significance and question conventional notions of what constitutes historical memory. Editor: I agree, and as viewers today, the unknown man seems to ask us to look for universal traits, symbols, and the universal truths. That, and perhaps question how we interpret or find our bearings on an absence of those truths as a cultural practice of memorialization. Curator: Perhaps Baer challenges us to recognize the significance of the "unknown" and understand how social values dictate who is remembered and forgotten. It becomes an enduring statement. Editor: Absolutely. This portrait remains an invitation to re-imagine the past and contemplate the stories waiting to be uncovered.