Twee mannen in een tuin, vermoedelijk in Rome 1851 - 1868

Laurens Lodewijk Kleijn took this photograph, “Two Men in a Garden, probably in Rome,” sometime in the 19th century. At this time photography was becoming more accessible, yet portraiture remained largely the domain of the wealthy. The two men, presumably Dutchmen abroad on the Grand Tour, are pictured in a garden, maybe that of their hotel. The artist’s choice to depict these men outside, surrounded by nature, speaks to the era's fascination with romanticism and the picturesque. What I find curious is the gaze. Where they are looking? Is there someone else present? Does the camera represent another person? Kleijn’s photograph captures a moment of privileged leisure, yet it also hints at the complexities of identity and representation within the historical context of 19th-century Europe. The picture invites us to consider the gazes and the power dynamics inherent in the act of image-making.