Portret van Gaston of Jean-Philippe Worth, modeontwerper te Parijs Possibly 1875

Editor: Here we have a captivating albumen print from approximately 1875, titled "Portrait of Gaston or Jean-Philippe Worth, fashion designer in Paris," by Charles Reutlinger, tucked away in the Rijksmuseum collection. I am immediately struck by its melancholic charm; the sepia tones seem to whisper stories of a bygone era. Tell me, what emotions or ideas does this photograph stir in you? Curator: Oh, it's more than just sepia, isn't it? It's like peering into a forgotten dream. That oval frame, a gentle caress around his face, it reminds me of lockets and the hushed reverence we used to hold for photographic portraits. And he, this fashion designer, is wrapped in such enigmatic softness... Do you see a hint of the artist within the artisan? Or is it merely the styled pose of a man of influence? I can almost smell the developing chemicals, the ambition simmering in that studio. What is most remarkable, that the photographer could freeze this short moment into eternity? Editor: That’s a lovely image, a frozen moment! I see a real person and not just a representation. He looks off into the distance almost. What do you think was his world? Curator: Perhaps thinking about tomorrow's designs, a lover in the other side of Paris, or even the horrors from recent wars? Who can be so certain when you can interpret things so freely? I love that he's peering just out of the frame, rather than at the camera, like he's only got a moment before the shutter closes, caught as he truly is. Editor: I hadn't thought of the gaze as 'him,' his personality, caught mid-thought! Thank you for making me see him in such a special light. Curator: My pleasure! Art is that mirror, reflecting not only the subject but also ourselves. Now I think, after this dialogue, it shows Gaston to be thoughtful and ready for the moment.