Zelfportret c. 1865 - 1900

Laurens Lodewijk Kleijn captured this self-portrait on a glass negative, a mirror to his own visage, sometime in the 19th century. The beard, a symbol of wisdom and maturity, is prominent. Think of the ancient philosophers, the prophets, all adorned with flowing beards signifying profound knowledge. This motif has journeyed through time, cropping up in different guises, from the patriarchal figures of Renaissance art to the stern faces of Victorian industrialists. It's a visual echo, a constant reminder of authority and experience. But here, inverted as it is, the beard takes on a haunting quality, almost spectral. It speaks not just of wisdom, but of the weight of years, the burden of knowledge, and the inevitable passage of time. Our subconscious resonates with this symbol. It's a dialogue with our own mortality, an unconscious acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of life and death. The image becomes a powerful mnemonic device, triggering deep-seated emotions and memories. It transcends its immediate context, echoing through the corridors of art history and our shared human experience.