Portret van een man met vlinderstrik 1877 - 1897

Lodewijk Hendrikus Serré captured this portrait of a man with a bow tie, though the date remains unknown. The image's small size situates it within a tradition of intimate portraiture, popularized in the 19th century. The sitter's attire—a suit and bow tie—signals a certain level of bourgeois respectability, reflecting the era's emphasis on social decorum and class distinctions. Yet, the man's gaze carries a quiet intensity, hinting at a complex inner life beyond the rigid social norms. This portrait invites us to consider the tension between public presentation and private identity, between the constraints of societal expectations and the individual's desire for self-expression. The photograph serves as a reminder of the complexities of identity formation and the silent stories embedded within historical images.