Portret van een sigaarrokende man met bakkebaarden c. 1862 - 1889

Albert Greiner made this photograph of a cigar-smoking man sometime in the mid-19th century. It captures a moment that speaks volumes about the sitter's social standing and the cultural norms of the time. The man's attire, the cigar, and the ornate chair are all visual markers of wealth and status in the Netherlands. Photography itself was still a relatively new technology, making a portrait like this a luxury afforded to the upper classes. The image reflects the self-assuredness of the bourgeois class, comfortable with displaying its affluence. To fully understand this photograph, we might consult historical records such as census data, tax records, and business directories. These archival sources can provide insight into the subject’s social milieu. The meaning of art is never fixed, but instead, shifts with its changing social and institutional contexts.