Portret van Johannes van Zijll de Jong in legeruniform bij een station 1930 - 1935

This photograph captures Johannes van Zijll de Jong in his military uniform, posed casually at a train station, in an unknown year, by an anonymous photographer. It is a modest thing, just a few inches tall, yet it speaks volumes about the relationship between photography, industrialization, and personal identity. The photograph's material simplicity belies its cultural significance. Photography, as a relatively new medium, democratized portraiture. No longer the exclusive domain of the wealthy who could commission painted portraits, photography allowed for a wider segment of society to document and preserve their likeness. The mass production of photographic materials like film and paper, combined with standardized processes, made photography accessible. The relative ease of photographic production meant that even someone like Johannes, perhaps not of the highest social class, could have a portrait taken. This image, though small, reflects the larger social and technological shifts of the time. It challenges us to consider how new technologies transform not only artistic practices but also our understanding of self and society.