Portret van een onbekende man before 1902

This black and white photographic portrait of an unknown man by A. Wicky is printed on a page of a book. The man’s gaze is directed to something beyond the frame. I see in his eyes a lifetime of stories. What sort of life has this man lived? I imagine a life steeped in the beauty of nature, full of reflection, full of thought. I am really intrigued by his wild beard, which might symbolize his connection to the natural world and the freedom of a non-urban existence. I imagine it took patience to sit for this portrait, and what do we know about the relationship between the photographer and their sitter? This image reminds me of the work of other painters who are interested in exploring the representation of identity, like Alice Neel, but here it's in the form of photography. It encourages us to see that artists are always in conversation with one another. I believe this image can invite the viewer into a philosophical space of imagination, and allow for multiple interpretations and meanings.