Portret van een man met snor in uniform 1853 - 1880

Editor: So here we have a photograph from sometime between 1853 and 1880, titled "Portrait of a moustached man in uniform," likely taken by Joseph Dupont. It’s strikingly formal. What really strikes me, I suppose, is the almost severe sense of dignity. What's your read on it? Curator: Well, looking at this handsome officer from the mid-19th century, it reminds me that portraits weren't always as casual as a selfie, were they? There's a deliberate posing, a creation of an *image* beyond just a likeness. You can almost smell the stiff collar! And he *knows* he’s creating a moment. Tell me, what feeling do you get from his gaze? Editor: I'd say his eyes tell a different story than the stiff uniform. They seem a bit… melancholic, perhaps? Or maybe that's just the sepia tone playing tricks on me. Curator: It's interesting you say that. Because to me, he looks a touch bored. All that responsibility, all that starch... I'll wager he dreamt of ditching his epaulettes for a fishing rod! This photo is quite touching because, I’d say, it offers such a vulnerable counterpoint to conventional formality, doesn’t it? A very subtle joke at play here? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the vulnerability. So often we associate uniforms with power, but I suppose it's easy to forget the person *inside* the uniform. The *humanness*! Curator: Precisely! I find myself wondering what stories he’d tell if he were here, now. And in truth, aren't we all just trying to find a comfortable way to wear our own uniforms? Editor: That's beautifully put. Thanks!