Portret van een jongeman 1879 - 1887

Editor: Here we have Albert Greiner’s “Portret van een jongeman,” created sometime between 1879 and 1887. It’s a gelatin silver print. It reminds me of old family photos - there’s a definite seriousness to it. What do you make of this portrait? Curator: You're right, it has that familiar photographic gravity, doesn’t it? It feels so deeply personal. But consider this: photography in this era was a statement. To have your portrait taken was an event, almost a performance. This young man, framed against that sepia backdrop… who do you imagine he dreamt of being? Did he believe this image would last? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the performance aspect of it. The details are interesting; the set of his jaw, the dark jacket… Curator: Absolutely. It's Realism in photographic form, a commitment to showing things "as they are.” Except, what *is* "as they are?" It's all constructed, isn’t it? Greiner's playing with truth and image, fact and fabrication. Do you find his expression vulnerable or guarded? Editor: That's interesting. I think I see both vulnerability and guardedness. Maybe he was just nervous to have his picture taken? Curator: Maybe. It’s almost dreamlike, isn't it? This frozen moment hinting at the ever-flowing river of time and how each instant disappears even as it occurs. It really makes you wonder about the nature of identity, image, memory and time, all rolled into one captured moment. Editor: It does. I see this photograph so differently now. Curator: Exactly. Now it holds all our combined curiosities and meditations... making it even more interesting.