Portret van Alphonse de Lamartine Possibly 1845 - 1867

This is a photograph of Alphonse de Lamartine, created by an anonymous artist. In the image, Lamartine, a man of stature in 19th-century France as both a poet and a politician, is captured with a formal yet subtly relaxed pose. Consider what it meant to have one's portrait taken during this era. Photography was relatively new, and a portrait was a significant undertaking, often reserved for the upper classes. Lamartine, with his refined attire and composed demeanor, embodies the bourgeois ideals of the time—of respectability, intellect, and civic engagement. Looking at the image today, we might consider how it reflects the construction of historical narratives and the role of photography in shaping our perceptions of important figures. It invites us to reflect on the relationship between public image and private identity, and how both are carefully constructed and maintained.