Portret van een jongen 1865 - 1880

This is a photographic portrait of a boy by Gerarda Henriëtte Matthijssen. Matthijssen, who lived from 1830 to 1907, was working during a time when photography was increasingly used to capture likenesses. The portrait offers a glimpse into the construction of identity and representation in the late 19th century. The young boy is formally dressed, his pose and attire suggesting a performance of middle-class respectability. Yet, the slight unease in his expression and posture hints at the performative nature of such social roles. What does it mean to be a boy at this moment in time? Matthijssen, as a woman artist, navigated a male-dominated art world. Her choice to focus on a domestic subject like a young boy, perhaps reflects both the limitations and the opportunities available to women artists of her time. As we consider this image, we are invited to reflect on how gender and class shape the creation, and our understanding, of photographic portraiture.