Wehrmacht militairen bij een huis 1940 - 1942

This photograph, titled *Wehrmacht militairen bij een huis*, shows German soldiers at a house, it was made by an anonymous artist with a camera. It is a grayscale image. The tonal range varies which suggests different light reflecting off different surfaces. I am immediately drawn to the textures captured by the camera's lens. Look at the brickwork of the house. Each brick is clearly delineated, casting small shadows that give depth to the facade. Then there's the lawn, with its slightly uneven surface and the small hole in the foreground, which hints at the disturbances beneath the surface. The soft fabric of the woman's dress contrasts with the rougher textures of the soldiers' uniforms and the surrounding architecture. Like a painting, this photo invites us to consider how different elements interact to convey meaning. Its stark black and white palette strips away the distractions of color, focusing our attention on the composition and the stark contrasts of light and shadow. Think of the work of Gerhard Richter, especially his grayscale paintings based on photographs. Both Richter's work and this anonymous photo remind us that art is always a negotiation between what is seen and what is felt, between representation and abstraction.