Formal Portrait of Young Man Holding Diploma with Floral Studio Props

Photograph

-

The Recorded Image Project

Name/Title

Formal Portrait of Young Man Holding Diploma with Floral Studio Props

Entry/Object ID

RE-PH-2026-0117

Description

Full-length studio portrait of a young man in a suit holding a diploma scroll, posed beside ceremonial floral arrangements.

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Gelatin Print - silver bromide

Category

man, flowers, diploma

Made/Created

Studio

Unknown

Date made

circa 1915 - circa 1925

Notes

Clothing & Style Notes • Three-piece suit with tailored jacket and vest • Narrow early 20th-century lapel styling • Neatly parted short hairstyle • Formal leather dress shoes • Ribbon-tied diploma scroll suggests academic or religious ceremony Studio Setting & Props • Painted backdrop with architectural column motif • Decorative floral baskets and garlands • Symbolic studio staging for commemorative portraiture Historical Context This style of portrait was popular for marking: • High school graduation • College completion • Religious rites such as First Communion or Confirmation • Civic youth achievements The floral arrangements symbolize celebration and moral purity, while the diploma scroll indicates scholastic accomplishment.

Ethnography

Notes

American; early 20th-century commemorative portraiture documenting educational or religious milestones and family rites of passage.

Condition

Overall Condition

Very Good

Date Examined

Mar 9, 2026

Notes

• Even sepia toning • Minor edge wear to mount • Light surface softness from age • Mount corners intact

General Notes

Note Type

Description

Note

This formal studio portrait depicts a young man holding a diploma scroll, posed among decorative floral arrangements symbolic of achievement and transition into adulthood. His tailored three-piece suit and solemn expression reflect the conventions of early twentieth-century commemorative portraiture. Such photographs served as enduring family records of educational and religious milestones.

Create Date

March 10, 2026