Portret van een staande jongen met tennisracket 1860 - 1870

This is Eduard Fuch’s ‘Portret van een staande jongen met tennisracket’, a photograph with dimensions 85 by 53 mm. The photograph's structure is built upon carefully arranged vertical and horizontal lines, creating a rigid composition that contrasts with the softness of the subject. The young boy stands in the center, his figure framed by the architectural elements of what seems to be a studio set. The image is a study in contrasts. The backdrop offers a romanticized outdoor scene. The boy's formal attire and serious demeanor contrast with the playful suggestion of the tennis racket he holds. His posture is stiff, almost as if he is a miniature adult, caught in a performative pose, a visual marker of status and propriety. The photograph doesn't just capture an image; it stages a narrative about childhood, class, and the constructed nature of identity itself. Ultimately, the photograph serves as a commentary on representation, prompting us to consider how images not only reflect but also construct our perceptions of reality.