Portret van de schilder Henri Jacques Bource, halffiguur 1861

This is a portrait of the painter Henri Jacques Bource by Joseph Dupont. In this photographic print we can see an example of the many portraits which circulated in the 19th century. Bource is depicted in a classic bourgeois style. His groomed appearance and the formal attire serve to construct a particular kind of identity, one that is rooted in class and profession. Interestingly, Bource was known for his paintings of fishermen and other members of the working class. Dupont’s portrait, while seemingly straightforward, opens up a complex dialogue about representation and the role of the artist in society. The very act of portraying Bource in a manner so detached from his subject matter seems to suggest that the realities of the working class were better suited for the canvas than the camera lens. In this way, the portrait serves not just as an image of a man, but as a commentary on the artistic and social values of the time.