Portret van een onbekende man achterstevoren gezeten op een stoel 1864 - 1891

This small photograph captures an unknown man seated backward on a chair. Notice the crossed arms. This gesture is a symbol laden with historical and cultural significance, appearing across time in various contexts. Consider how crossed arms are seen in antiquity, a sign of defiance, even resistance. The symbol appears in funerary art, denoting those who have passed on with their fate sealed, but also in royal portraiture. This pose signified power, control, and a barrier between the self and the world. The gesture of crossed arms has transformed over centuries. Its presence is deeply embedded within our collective unconscious, a cultural memory passed down. Here, the subject exudes not defiance, but an air of thoughtful reserve. It speaks to our innate need to protect ourselves, creating a symbolic barrier against a world that often feels overwhelming. Such non-linear continuity reminds us that symbols do not exist in isolation. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.