Portret van een zittende man en een staande vrouw met witte klederdrachtmuts 1860 - 1899

This is Mozes Cohen's portrait of a seated man and standing woman, likely made sometime in the mid-to-late 19th century. The sepia tones lend a sense of historical distance, focusing our attention on the formal arrangement of the subjects. Note how the composition is structured around contrasting verticals and horizontals. The woman stands tall, her dress creating a strong vertical line, softened by the gentle curve of her arm as it rests on the seated man's shoulder. He, in turn, is positioned horizontally, his posture suggesting a grounded stability. The framing—both within the photograph and the physical frame around it—highlights the artifice inherent in portraiture. Cohen isn't just capturing likenesses; he's constructing a carefully balanced tableau that speaks to notions of domesticity, gender roles, and social identity. The woman’s white headdress could be interpreted as a cultural signifier, adding another layer to the semiotic reading of the piece. Consider how the formal elements of this portrait serve not just to depict but to signify, engaging with broader cultural codes of representation.