Portret van een man met baard en bril 1860 - 1890

Editor: So, this is *Portret van een man met baard en bril*, made sometime between 1860 and 1890 by Sawyer & Bird. It’s a daguerreotype, so an early photograph. I'm struck by how earnest and sort of vulnerable he looks. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What immediately draws my attention is the man’s gaze. He’s wearing spectacles, fairly modern even for that time, which suggest intellect, certainly. But his eyes themselves, magnified by the glass, possess an almost unnerving quality. A sort of self-awareness, peering both inward and outward, as if conscious of being documented. The beard, of course, is a strong symbol, it reflects the social and political trends of the mid-19th century that connected virility and wisdom. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. The glasses as a symbol of intellect – that's clear. But could his expression just be discomfort, being in front of the camera for the first time? Curator: Perhaps partially. But early photographic processes required subjects to remain still for extended periods. This encouraged a level of self-possession, transforming even perceived discomfort into a sort of performative patience. Look at how deliberately he composes himself; the set of his jaw, the controlled fall of his hair. Each element works towards a very considered presentation of self, a cultural ritual solidified by chemistry. This mirrors a Victorian ethos of self-control but it's also meant to give a psychological insight, and it continues the portraiture tradition from paintings that wanted to grasp their innerity. Editor: It’s amazing how much we can read into one image. Thanks, I didn't notice all of these things at first. Curator: Absolutely, it’s fascinating to consider how much intention and symbolic language is packed into a portrait from this era.