Portret van Wilhelm I met zijn zoon, kleinzoon en achterkleinzoon Possibly 1882 - 1886

This photograph, titled "Portret van Wilhelm I met zijn zoon, kleinzoon en achterkleinzoon" by Hermann Selle, captures a formal arrangement of four generations. The composition is stark, emphasizing vertical lines through the standing figures and the framing of the photograph itself. Light and shadow play to delineate the subjects' uniforms, imbuing them with a sense of depth, but also, perhaps, obscuring individual identities within their generational roles. The photograph seems to engage with the semiotics of power. Uniforms signify authority, while generational arrangement suggests continuity. Yet, the child, wrapped in white, introduces an element of potential subversion, questioning the fixed symbolism. The photograph is not merely a record but an exploration into themes of heritage, authority, and the structures that uphold them.