Portret van Bauke Koopmans 1892 - 1909

Idanus Hendrikus Slaterus made this portrait of Bauke Koopmans, in a carte-de-visite format, a popular 19th-century photographic calling card. This image captures a moment in the evolving history of photography. The rise of commercial photography coincided with shifting ideas about identity and representation. Consider how portraiture, once reserved for the elite, became accessible to a broader middle class. Who were now deemed worthy of representation, and how did they wish to be seen? This simple image opens up important questions about visibility, access, and the democratization of portraiture, while also reflecting the personal and social aspirations of the sitter.