Portret van een onbekende man in militair uniform 1854 - 1885

Curator: The steely gaze from this military portrait is almost unsettling. Editor: Well, considering the era, I wouldn't expect joyous smiles! Let's contextualize: This albumen print, titled "Portret van een onbekende man in militair uniform" or "Portrait of an unknown man in military uniform", comes to us from the studios of A. Thiébaut and probably dates from 1854 to 1885. Curator: Albumen, you say? Such an interesting material choice, derived from egg whites… Who knew such delicate stuff could portray such sternness? It really speaks to the evolving role of photography and how it straddled commercial portraiture and potential military uses during that time. What was he paying for, really? Vanity? Record keeping? Both? Editor: There is also the question about his gear: what about these shoulder pads and buttons, what status do these signify? How has his uniform impacted his posture? Does he perform a military masculinity? It's difficult to decode what message he is sending from his uniform with the absence of more information. Curator: Precisely! And consider the production process itself. Each albumen print required careful preparation, coating the paper, exposing the image. Think about the labor! From gathering the materials to developing the print. It's a fascinating intersection of art, craft and burgeoning industry. But his facial expression speaks more clearly. Those slightly narrowed eyes…almost judgmental? Or is it just my 21st-century perception clouding things? Editor: Judgmental feels a bit harsh, maybe intensely self-aware, or posing self-importantly? There is almost something ghostly or haunted about it due to its bluriness, perhaps even dreamlike and serene as though this image might just fade away again? Curator: Yes. The very fact that it has survived is remarkable, speaking to both its perceived value at the time and, of course, to the durability of the materials themselves. Editor: True enough. It prompts questions about both what the man wanted this portrait to convey, and how it would later live in private memory and even public archival collection. Food for thought.