Groepsportret van vijf studenten Possibly 1887

This is a photographic print showing a group portrait of five students, made by Israël David Kiek in the Netherlands, though the exact date is unknown. Group portraits like this reflect the rise of a new kind of social identity connected to institutions of learning. Consider the ladder in the background, a playful reference to upward mobility through education. The photograph implies that these young men are on their way up in the world. In nineteenth-century Dutch society, class was often determined by one’s profession. Higher education became a key tool for social advancement, and the photograph captures this aspiration, a world of social mobility. This print also speaks to photography's evolving role in solidifying these new social identities and institutions. To understand the significance of this image, we can delve into the archives of Dutch educational history, exploring student demographics, class structures, and institutional policies. The meaning of a photograph is always contingent on these historical and social contexts.