Portret van een man met snor en hoed in uniform 1875 - 1876

This portrait of a man with a mustache and hat in uniform was created by Victor Herickx, sometime around 1875. It is a photograph, and the process by which it was made is fundamental to its meaning. Photography emerged in the 19th century as a cutting-edge technology, but it quickly became democratized. It became an important medium for both recording and shaping personal and collective identity. The rise of photography coincided with the Industrial Revolution and the growth of a consumer culture. People could now purchase affordable portraits like this one, to record and share likenesses. Consider the labor involved in producing this image. From the manufacture of the photographic materials, to the photographer's expertise, and the sitter's own self-presentation through clothing, all of this speaks volumes about the social context in which the portrait was made. This portrait isn't just an aesthetic object, it's a cultural artifact.