Portret van een onbekende man, mogelijk Th. K. van Slingenlandt Possibly 1853

This is an undated portrait of an unknown man, possibly Th. K. van Slingenlandt, made by Johann Peter Berghaus, using lithography. Consider the lithograph as a democratizing force in 19th-century Dutch society. Before photography, portraiture was largely the domain of the wealthy. Here, lithography made images more accessible, catering to a burgeoning middle class eager to emulate the aristocracy. Our sitter, dressed in a suit and bow tie, embodies this aspiration. The Rijksmuseum itself, as an institution, played a crucial role in shaping national identity and taste. By collecting and displaying works like this, it helped define what was considered culturally significant. Historians can explore the sitter's possible identity, the artist's biography, and the print market in the Netherlands. By studying these contexts, we can gain a richer understanding of the artwork’s role in its time.