Portret van Jacob Wertheim, schoonzoon van de fotograaf c. 1854 - 1855

This photograph of Jacob Wertheim, son-in-law of Eduard Isaac Asser, presents us with an intriguing study in symbols of status and masculinity. Note the confident pose, hand casually placed on the hip, a gesture echoing back to classical contrapposto, signifying self-assurance. The elaborate moustache and the cut of his jacket speak of 19th-century bourgeois aspiration. Consider also the watch chain draped across his waistcoat. This small, glinting object is more than a time-keeping device; it’s a symbol of control, of ordered existence. The watch, since its invention, has been a potent emblem, appearing in vanitas paintings as a memento mori, or transforming into a symbol of punctuality and industrial progress. Observe how the meaning of this motif shifts: from contemplation of mortality to an assertion of worldly achievement. We see in Jacob Wertheim not just a portrait of a man, but a constellation of symbols reflecting cultural values and the evolving language of self-representation.