Gezelschap in auto voor het kantoor van het Weltreisebureau Union in Berlijn c. 1910 - 1930

This anonymous photograph captures a group in a car outside the Weltreisebureau Union in Berlin. It’s a study in tones, ranging from the deep blacks of the car to the lighter greys of the building façade and the passengers clothing. What strikes me is the variety of textures rendered in monochrome. The rough brickwork is set against the smooth paint of the shopfront. The eye is drawn to the hats that the group are wearing, particularly those in the back row. Each crease, fold, and shadow adds depth and character. Look at the contrast between the stiff formality of the driver and the array of characters crammed into the vehicle. This tension enlivens the picture and points to the complexity of relationships. There is a hint of Lewis Hine in this picture, a social document of its time. But where Hine tended to focus on individuals and injustice, this photograph embraces a wider social landscape with a knowing wink. It reminds us that art is a process, a continuous conversation across time, about how we see and understand our shared world.