Portret van een onbekende man 1807 - 1849

Etienne Bouchardy created this stipple engraving of an unknown man in the first half of the 19th century. This small portrait gives us a glimpse into the world of the French middle class during the Restoration and July Monarchy periods. The sitter's identity remains a mystery, but his clothing and hairstyle tell us that he’s a man of means. His gaze is averted, as if lost in thought. During this period, portraiture was a way to assert one's social standing and respectability. Yet, it is an incomplete story if we only consider the individual. What about the countless others whose stories were never deemed worthy of representation? The act of memorializing certain individuals while erasing others speaks volumes about the power dynamics of the time. Bouchardy's engraving is a poignant reminder of the complex interplay between visibility, identity, and historical narrative.