Portret van generaal Ducos de la Hitte c. 1860 - 1865

Editor: Here we have an anonymous portrait of General Ducos de la Hitte, probably taken between 1860 and 1865, housed in the Rijksmuseum. It’s a photograph, giving it a sense of immediacy. He looks quite absorbed, perhaps writing or reading important documents. What do you see in this image? Curator: I see a man carefully positioned within the frame of history. He is framed not just by the blue border added later to the paper, but by the conventions of power. Look at the papers he studies. Are they pronouncements, orders, or personal correspondence? Paper becomes a potent symbol. Editor: I hadn’t thought of that, just that he seemed focused on his work. Does the photography medium influence your reading? Curator: Immensely! Photography in this period served a particular function: to immortalize. Yet it attempts a certain realism. We are invited to interpret his concentration, his age… Photography captured not just a likeness but a moment intended for posterity. The general is literally writing his own history, as perceived at the time, creating continuity through legacy. Editor: So you're saying it's more about constructing an image for future generations rather than just recording a likeness? Curator: Precisely. He is both general and a signifier of enduring values. Do you see him conveying anxiety, or is he resolute? That informs everything. Editor: Now I see it! I was just taking it at face value, but considering the intended audience changes everything. Curator: These visual echoes resonate, shaping our understanding of identity. I find it particularly powerful in understanding history's unfolding narrative, with General Ducos de la Hitte forever caught in its moment. Editor: I definitely have a new perspective on how to view historical portraits now, particularly the careful selection behind them. Thanks so much for illuminating those cultural aspects.