Portret van een jongen met hoed, aangeduid als Eugène Lotié 1865 - 1873

Stalins & Janssens created this photograph, "Portret van een jongen met hoed, aangeduid als Eugène Lotié," capturing a moment that invites us to consider the fluidity of identity. The portrait, though titled as a young boy in a hat, presents a figure that challenges traditional gender norms. The subject, with their soft features and ornate headwear, complicates the visual cues typically associated with masculinity. This ambiguity occurs in a historical context where gender roles were more rigidly defined, making the photograph a subtle yet powerful act of defiance. How does the artist play with the tensions between representation and identity? Is this a subversion of societal expectations, or a performance of identity? The image remains suspended in a delicate balance between genders, inviting us to reflect on the performative aspects of identity and the constraints of social norms.