Portret van B.H.C.K. van der Wijck, hoogleraar in de faculteit der Letteren en Wijsbegeerte aan de Universiteit van Groningen ('Groningsche Hoogeschool') 1875 - 1879

This photograph captures B.H.C.K. van der Wijck, a professor at the University of Groningen, and was created by Friedrich Julius von Kolkow in the late 19th or early 20th century. Portraits like this were often commissioned by or for institutions, serving to document and celebrate the achievements of individuals within the academic elite. Yet, in its stillness, this portrait offers a glimpse into the construction of masculinity and intellectual identity during that era. Van der Wijck’s stern gaze and formal attire speak to the values of authority, knowledge, and respectability. The photograph also indirectly speaks to the absence of women and people of color in such positions of power at the time. Consider how images like this, while seemingly straightforward, are deeply embedded in social structures and cultural norms. They both reflect and reinforce certain ideals, shaping our understanding of history and identity.