Uniform voor de luitenants eerste en tweede klasse van de Marine, 1845 1845

Louis Salomon Leman created this print in 1845, depicting the uniform for the first and second class lieutenants of the Navy. Standing on the shore in his formal navy attire, the lieutenant embodies the power and authority associated with maritime dominance during this era. The fine details of his uniform, from the gold epaulettes to the precisely fitted jacket, speak to the rigid class structures and the visual codes of status within the 19th-century military. But beyond the surface, consider the human element, what this uniform demands of the individual who wears it. The constraints of conformity, and perhaps even the suppression of personal identity, are implicit in this image. Leman's work invites us to reflect on the personal cost of national service and the emotional weight carried beneath the polished buttons and braided cords.