A Poser 1870 - 1891

Charles Samuel Keene made this pen and brown ink drawing called "A Poser." Keene, who lived in a Victorian Era that was obsessed with class and military might, gives us an ambiguous glimpse into the British Army. The drawing depicts two soldiers facing each other, one saluting the other, who appears to be inspecting the ranks. In the background, we see other soldiers and a building that may be a barracks or other military structure. What does it mean to present or ‘pose’? The ‘poser’ here may be both the saluting soldier and the officer who may be striking a pose for his subordinates. It is unclear whether Keene is glorifying or satirizing the military. Is he showing the rigid discipline of the army or is he making fun of the pomp and ceremony? Perhaps it’s both. Keene’s drawing invites us to consider the complex relationship between the individual and the institution, and the ways in which power is negotiated and performed.