Portret van een man met een jas en snor 1867 - 1904

Editor: Here we have "Portret van een man met een jas en snor," or "Portrait of a Man with a Coat and Moustache" by Johannes Ephraim, made between 1867 and 1904. It’s a gelatin-silver print photograph. I am struck by the gentleman's pose. It looks like an exercise in somber geometric shapes and lines, even the faded, mottled textures. What elements in this photograph do you find most significant? Curator: Indeed. Observe how the composition depends on contrasts. The figure bisects the vertical plane of the photograph into two roughly equal masses. The lighting on his face forms triangles that resolve in dark and bright elements on the left and right sides respectively. Similarly, his moustache offers a sharp horizontal accent bisecting the same space. Notice too that this strong horizontal pulls your eye immediately to the face. Editor: So you're suggesting the moustache and face take primary position within the framework? What then would be a possible reading? Curator: Formally speaking, it controls your gaze. The artist also utilizes light and shadow to direct attention to areas of detail. The symmetrical, rectangular framing also accentuates these sharp juxtapositions. To me, the artist seems less interested in capturing a true likeness than in exploring contrasts as a compositional challenge. What do you think? Editor: I now see how those individual, smaller shapes create a very strong impression! Thanks to your formal breakdown, I can focus less on realism and more on the artistry. Curator: It’s rewarding to explore such works on the basis of artistic components like line, shape and color.