Portret van een man met snor met achtergrond met houtstructuur 1860 - 1890

This mounted albumen print, titled "Portret van een man met snor met achtergrond met houtstructuur" was created by Alexandre Ken. The sepia tones cast a somewhat austere yet intimate atmosphere. Ken masterfully uses the oval frame to isolate the sitter, drawing our attention to his face. The background, textured with vertical wood grain, paradoxically flattens the space, making the figure appear almost superimposed. This is a curious interplay between depth and surface, a tension which underscores the semiotic function of portraiture at the time. Consider how the man's mustache, the focal point of the image, becomes a signifier of masculinity and social status. The rigid composition, combined with the soft gradations of light and shadow, creates a visual field that both conceals and reveals. It invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in representation and the complex interplay between appearance and identity.