Studioportret van een man met snor en baard, om zijn nek draagt hij een insigne c. 1863 - 1866

This portrait of a man with a distinguished beard and insigne was made by Abdullah Frères, sometime in the late 19th century. It’s a photograph, an object produced through a complex interplay of chemistry and light. The sepia tones give it an antique feel, but in its time, photography was a cutting-edge medium. The subject’s identity is less important than the social context that made such images possible. The rise of photography coincided with the growth of the middle class, who were eager to possess images of themselves and loved ones. Studios like Abdullah Frères became factories of representation, offering standardized portraits at an affordable price. The very act of posing for such a portrait speaks volumes about the subject’s self-perception and aspirations. What we see is not just an individual, but a reflection of the changing dynamics of labor, politics, and consumption that defined the era. It challenges our traditional distinctions between art and craft, reminding us of the power of mass-produced images in shaping identities and desires.