Portret van een onbekende jongen before 1902

This is Francis de Jongh’s “Portret van een onbekende jongen,” or “Portrait of an Unknown Boy,” preserved within the pages of a photography manual. While the exact date of its creation remains a mystery, the image offers a glimpse into the world of early photography and its subjects. Consider the historical context of portraiture. Before photography, portraits were largely limited to the wealthy. Photography democratized image-making, allowing a broader range of individuals to be represented. Yet, the sitter in the photograph remains anonymous, identified only as an "unknown boy." What does it mean to look at a face without a name, without a history? Does his anonymity allow us to project our own narratives onto him, or does it underscore the limitations of representation? The image evokes questions about identity, visibility, and the power of the photographic gaze to both reveal and conceal. This boy, forever frozen in time, invites us to consider the lives and stories of those often overlooked by history.