Portret van Charles Cordier 1867 - 1890

This portrait of Charles Cordier was captured by Lege & Bergeron, photographers working during a time when photography was still a relatively new medium. Looking at this image, we should consider the power dynamics inherent in portraiture, especially in the 19th century. Photography provided a new means of representation, but it also carried the potential for reinforcing social hierarchies. This image exists within the context of French colonialism; Cordier was an ethnological sculptor known for his work depicting the people encountered during France's colonial expansion. Consider the gaze, the pose, and the very act of documenting Cordier – a white, European man. Who is given the power to look, to record, to classify? This image invites us to reflect on the relationship between art, representation, and the construction of identity in the age of empire. How does this portrait contribute to or challenge the narratives of its time?