Studioportret van Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht in Oriëntaals kostuum met een geweer 1902

This is a photograph by Rafael Garzón, and it pictures Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht in Oriental costume with a rifle. Look at the guy! He looks like he's at some kind of fancy dress party. I wonder what he was thinking posing with a rifle like that? Is it supposed to be a serious portrait, or is there a sense of irony? He's got this sort of wry, knowing expression. Was he trying to critique orientalism, or was he just going along with the trend? I think Garzón was perhaps gently poking fun at these kinds of staged fantasies, or just capturing a moment of cultural curiosity. The man's expression is intriguing and the staging is very well done, it almost has an uncanny feel to it. Anyway, it’s a fascinating piece that invites us to think about the complex relationship between representation, identity, and desire. And how artists inspire each other across time.