Portret van een jonge man 1880 - 1888

Raimond Josz-Dongrie, born in 1844, created this portrait of a young man using photography, a medium then still relatively new. Photography in this era was deeply intertwined with identity and representation. Portraits such as these served as important markers of social standing. In this image, a young man is dressed in a suit, his gaze direct, projecting an air of respectability. Consider that the act of commissioning a photograph was itself a statement, underscoring the sitter’s self-awareness and perhaps aspiration. This portrait invites us to contemplate the role of photography in shaping narratives about class, status, and individual identity. Who was this young man, and what stories did he hope this image would tell about him? Perhaps it was intended to convey a sense of upward mobility, or to immortalize a moment of youthful promise. What is certain is that portraiture, then as now, creates its own version of history.