Studioportret van een jongeman in kostuum met donker haar c. 1863 - 1866

August Diepenbach made this studio portrait of a young man in costume using photography, a relatively new medium at the time. The image presents us with an interesting set of social codes. The photograph, in its early days, served as a means of immortalizing oneself, particularly for the middle class and gentry. Here, we see a young man, neatly dressed, adopting a pose of casual elegance. This image, likely taken in the mid-19th century, signifies a specific aspiration: the desire to be seen and remembered in a certain light. The trappings of bourgeois life are all subtly present, including the embossed card which suggests an association with high status. Understanding this image requires us to delve into the history of photography, the social structures of the time, and the emerging concept of individual identity, all of which can be explored through archival research and socio-historical analysis.