Portret van William Jack before 1891

Editor: So, here we have a photograph, a gelatin-silver print called "Portret van William Jack," created sometime before 1891. It’s nestled within the pages of what looks like a very old book, opposite some printed text. There's a certain solemnity to his expression, a very serious gaze. What strikes you about this portrait? Curator: Isn't it curious how time telescopes in such images? He stares out from this fragile emulsion, from behind the veil of time, and we're right here looking back! What's wonderful about a portrait like this is it suggests the weight of experience, right? And also, this very palpable *connection* to the past that photographic realism enables so vividly. Do you feel like you "know" him a bit? Editor: I do! In a way. It's that directness, perhaps. All that's really in the photo are neutral colors that give this quiet effect. But this "realism" that the photo presents--was that the artist's aim, to present someone as "real?" Curator: Ah, there's the juicy question! That era *adored* realism, yes. But there’s always an artistry isn’t it, to what we *choose* to show? A careful selection of posture, setting, even clothing. Notice that coat, and how it is a shade lighter than the suit underneath: a calculated move that leads my eyes towards his face and gives the picture volume! The way light falls on the face--does that feel happenstance or deliberately orchestrated? What would "William Jack" want us to know? And what little details—the unsmiling expression, the careful grooming—might give away his secrets, perhaps against his will? Editor: That makes so much sense! It really changes how I see it—it’s more constructed and mediated than I first assumed. A collaboration almost, between sitter and photographer to project something. Curator: Exactly! Photography, we tend to assume is "truth". And here in lies its peculiar magic--its beguiling falsehood! Which is itself an entirely human creation, if you think about it... Editor: Wow, that is quite interesting, it definitely shifted my views on older photos and portraiture in general. I am going to have to explore photography more as art and less as a true visual representation.