Portret van een jongeman met snor 1901 - 1919

This is "Portrait of a Young Man with a Moustache" by Henri de Louw, a photograph of modest dimensions housed at the Rijksmuseum. The monochromatic palette and the sitter's formal attire give us a glimpse into the conventions of portraiture from that time. The composition divides the image into distinct zones, with the young man centered. The frame creates a boundary, defining what is included within the artistic space, while the smooth gradient from light to dark, which models his face, draws the eye, focusing on the facial expression. De Louw's work prompts us to consider photography’s role in constructing identity and memory. The portrait, as a cultural artifact, participates in a semiotic system, where the subject’s clothing, posture, and even the presence of the moustache operate as signs, communicating ideas about status, age, and social roles. The act of framing, in both the literal and metaphorical sense, invites viewers to question the nature of representation.