Portret van een man met snor en baard c. 1865

This oval portrait of a man with a moustache and beard was created as a photograph by Gaillard, most likely in the latter half of the 19th century. The very creation of this image speaks to the social history of this period. Photography was becoming more and more democratized, but studio portraits like this were still largely the domain of the middle classes. The man’s suit and tie, as well as his well-groomed hair and beard, mark him as a man of some social standing. The framing of the image in an oval, mimicking earlier painted portrait miniatures, suggests how new technologies often borrow visual codes from more established art forms. To truly understand the image better we might look into Gaillard’s studio practice: Was it a large commercial enterprise, or a smaller set-up catering to a specific clientele? In the end, the meaning we find in art is contingent on the specific social and institutional circumstances of its making.