Marrons voor hun woning 1900 - 1910

Eugen Klein made this photograph, "Marrons voor hun woning", at an unknown date, though probably at the turn of the century. He captured his subjects and the scene with subtle variations in tone, and a direct, documentary-like gaze. It’s all about the surface here. The texture of the thatched roof is incredible! It's as if Klein wanted to show us not just the image, but the very fabric of the building, the community, the place. The image is sepia, so the limited palette creates a sense of nostalgia and history. The light seems to catch the edges of the straw, making them shimmer and vibrate. It's worth thinking about the work of photographers like August Sander, who sought to capture the essence of individuals and communities through photography during a similar time period. "Marrons voor hun woning" invites us to contemplate the complexities of representation, the beauty of everyday life, and the power of photography to both document and interpret the world around us.