Portret van een man met stropdas c. 1874

This is a photograph of a man wearing a tie, made by the Ijpma Brothers. The photograph presents a formal portrait, a common format in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when photography was becoming increasingly accessible to the middle classes in Europe. The subject's attire, a suit and tie, indicates a certain social status and adherence to bourgeois norms. The very act of commissioning such a portrait speaks to the democratization of image-making. Understanding the social dynamics of the time, including class structures and the rise of photography studios, can provide deeper insights into the image's meaning. Resources such as census records, studio archives, and social histories can illuminate the conditions under which this portrait was made. Such research contextualizes the image, reminding us that its meaning is tied to the social and institutional forces of its time.