Portret van de heer Bauwens before 1902

This is a photograph of E. Bauwens, taken in 1902 by the photographer Alexandre, and reproduced in ‘La Libre Critique’, a Belgian magazine. The process of photography was well-established by this date, but still somewhat mysterious; a potent mix of science, technology, and craft. The image itself is a study in contrasts. Bauwens sits formally in a suit, but the backdrop is cluttered, even chaotic. He was a professor at the Université de Bruxelles, teaching at the intersection of commerce and industry. It is no accident that the portrait is surrounded by advertisements for pianos and wines; his likeness is a signal of bourgeois respectability, lending credibility to consumer products. The making of this image, therefore, is inextricably tied to the machinery of capitalism. It’s a reminder that even the most apparently straightforward portraits are made for a purpose, and participate in the wider social and economic currents of their time. This interweaving of art, commerce, and identity complicates the distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture.