Portret van een jonge man in kostuum met degen, aangeduid als G. Schimmelpenninck Possibly 1887 - 1899

This photograph, made by Antonius Joannes van der Stok, depicts a young man in historical costume. The subject is identified as G. Schimmelpenninck, though it’s unclear who this is. What’s most striking is the theatricality of the image. It's reminiscent of Dutch Golden Age portraiture, but its photographic medium places it in a different social context. Made in the late 19th or early 20th century, such costumed portraits catered to a rising middle class keen to associate itself with the cultural prestige of the past. The sitter’s flamboyant dress and confident pose speak to aspirations of upward mobility and cultural sophistication. Photography became a powerful tool for social imaging, allowing individuals to perform desired identities. To understand this image more fully, further research would be needed. Genealogical records might help identify Schimmelpenninck, while studies of photographic portraiture could illuminate the broader cultural trends at play. Through such research, we gain insight into the complex interplay between art, identity, and social change.