Portret van Hyacinthe Loyson before 1902

This photograph of Hyacinthe Loyson was taken by Frédéric Boissonnas at some point in the late 19th or early 20th century. The palette, if you can call it that, is entirely monochromatic, which gives it a strangely timeless quality. What gets me is the surface quality of the print. It’s like looking at a memory: slightly blurred and softened. Look at the way the light catches the sitter’s brow and the folds of his jacket. These subtle gradations are what make it so compelling. The man himself seems to be in deep contemplation, perhaps reflecting on a life fully lived. The backdrop is nondescript, but it has a kind of texture, an almost tactile quality that seems to mirror the sitter's inner world. It almost feels like a painting, which is probably something Boissonnas was aiming for. The piece reminds me of the work of Nadar, another photographer who elevated portraiture to high art. In the end, it’s not about capturing a likeness, but about creating a mood, an atmosphere. This photograph is all about that.