Portret van Jan Verveer 1861 - 1883

Maurits Verveer created this diminutive portrait of Jan Verveer, likely sometime in the mid-19th century, using the then-novel medium of photography. In the Netherlands, as elsewhere in Europe, photography studios emerged in urban centers, offering the middle classes a relatively affordable means of immortalizing their likenesses. This carte-de-visite format reflects the democratizing influence of the medium, making portraiture accessible beyond the elite circles who traditionally commissioned paintings. Consider the performative aspect of such portraits. Jan Verveer strikes a pose, carefully styled and framed, to project a certain image of himself to society. The rise of photography also coincided with growing interest in physiognomy, the pseudoscience of judging character from facial features. Photography became entangled with prevailing social norms and scientific ideas. Examining period publications, studio records, and social histories provides insight into the cultural meanings embedded in this seemingly simple portrait, reminding us that even the smallest image carries a wealth of historical information.