Portret van een onbekende man 1859 - 1890

This is an albumen print of an unknown man, by Johannes Petrus Oppers. Look closely at his gaze, direct and unwavering. It echoes across centuries – a silent demand to be remembered, to be seen. Consider the recurring motif of the portrait itself: from ancient Roman busts to Renaissance paintings, the human face has always been a battleground for identity and legacy. Even now, with our ubiquitous selfies, we are reenacting this age-old ritual. What compels us to capture and preserve these fleeting moments? Is it a fear of oblivion, a primal urge to transcend our mortality? Or is it simply the human need for connection, a longing to reach out across time and touch the faces of those who came before us? This image, like all portraits, is a mirror reflecting our own hopes and anxieties about memory and existence.