Portret van een man met baard 1888 - 1895

Sander van der Zijl created this small portrait of a bearded man during a time when photography was becoming increasingly accessible, yet still retained a sense of formality and significance. The portrait, with its staged composition and the subject's somewhat stern expression, speaks to the conventions of the time. The man's beard and suit indicate a certain middle-class respectability, a visual marker of identity and status in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. What does it mean to present oneself in a certain way for posterity? Consider the power dynamics inherent in portraiture, where the subject is both seen and interpreted through the artist's lens. This image captures not just an individual, but a moment in the history of representation, reflecting societal values and the performance of identity. It is a quiet, intimate glimpse into a life, shaped by the social and cultural norms of its time.