Portret van een man met snor 1880 - 1913

Curator: Here we have “Portret van een man met snor,” or "Portrait of a man with a mustache,” a gelatin-silver print believed to be created between 1880 and 1913. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: It’s remarkably crisp. I'm immediately struck by the subject’s direct gaze and how meticulously the details are rendered, down to each individual hair. There is a slight ethereal or dusty feeling around the man which also catches my eye. Curator: Yes, and considering the social and historical context of portraiture in that era, particularly in photography, it raises fascinating questions about representation, class, and the male identity. We have to think about photography’s growing accessibility at that time. Who was being represented and how? Editor: Precisely. And the medium itself—gelatin-silver—is crucial. Mass production became easier in the 19th century and we can explore that shift and the work required to produce it. Was this intended for personal use, or commissioned, perhaps hinting at upward mobility and aspirations of belonging? Curator: We can explore those things in more depth. The mustache, for example, becomes a cultural signifier of masculinity during this period, signaling certain social roles. In what ways does it construct identity or allow performance? Editor: Exactly, the ‘stache isn’t just about aesthetics. And how was this print treated and handled over the decades? Was it cherished, forgotten, traded, found? These histories, too, add meaning to what we're seeing. Curator: Absolutely. The questions surrounding photographic representation touch on broader issues like gender, class and what that says about Dutch society then. It creates an intriguing intersection with identity formation and cultural capital. Editor: I hadn’t thought about that last part, that’s fascinating. It gives an important historical dimension that brings materiality together with culture. Curator: Hopefully, viewers are invited to delve into it, connecting it to their own experiences and the world around them. Editor: Indeed, may we all see familiar processes of creation and how historical context always matters.