Portret van een onbekende man 1864 - 1873

This photograph of an unknown man was made by Photographie Artistique, most likely sometime in the mid-19th century. As photography developed in Europe and the United States, it quickly took on a social role as portraiture became available to a wider range of social classes. The man pictured here, in his dark suit and bow tie, projects an image of middle-class respectability and this is further reinforced by the bourgeois interior around him. This image is not just a portrait of an individual, but a record of middle-class life in the 19th century. The institutions of photography and portraiture become entangled, contributing to the construction of social status through visual imagery. Photographs like this one are valuable historical resources, offering insights into fashion, social norms, and the evolving role of visual media in society. Historians and art historians can continue to explore how photography has shaped our understanding of the past.