Portret van Engel Wolders 1892 - 1906

Editor: This is Machiel Hendricus Laddé's "Portret van Engel Wolders" from somewhere between 1892 and 1906, held at the Rijksmuseum. It's a daguerreotype, so, quite a historical artifact! It strikes me as very…stiff and formal, befitting the time period I suppose. What do you make of it? Curator: It is indeed a product of its time. Photography in this period wasn't just documentation, it was also about establishing and reinforcing social standing. Note how Wolders is presented: formally dressed, carefully posed. How do you think the rise of photography impacted the public's perception of portraiture and, more broadly, visual culture? Editor: I suppose it democratized it a bit, but also made it more… standardized? Less room for artistic interpretation when it's just a machine capturing the likeness? Curator: Precisely. Consider the institutions involved: studios like Laddé’s flourished, offering services that previously only the wealthy could afford through painted portraits. These studios weren't merely capturing images, they were also shaping ideals of respectability and visual conventions. Did everyone have equal access to that portrayal? Editor: Probably not. Income and, I would assume, social standing probably dictated how and *if* you got photographed, which makes this more than just a portrait, it's like… a class marker. Curator: Exactly. The daguerreotype, and photography generally, became entangled with evolving notions of identity and status in the rapidly changing society of the late 19th century. I wonder what we'd find out about Wolders himself if we dug into the historical archives. Editor: That's a very interesting point of view that contextualizes the piece. Now I see beyond the stiffness. Thanks. Curator: My pleasure. It is in understanding this socio-historical context that a simple portrait unlocks a deeper appreciation.