Portret van twee onbekende jonge vrouwen 1898 - 1907

This photograph of two young women, framed with metal flowers, was made by Johann Herman Friedrich Labohm. It’s a small portrait, so it feels intimate, like a little world you can hold in your hands. Looking at it, I wonder about Labohm's process and the women's experience. Did he fuss over the details? What were they thinking about as they posed? The sepia tones and the floral frame give it a nostalgic, almost dreamlike quality. I wonder about the relationship between the women. Are they sisters? Friends? There is a formality to the poses, but their expressions are soft and curious, like they are sharing a secret with the camera. The physicality of the photograph itself, with its delicate size, adds another layer of meaning. It's not just an image, it’s an object with its own history. Like all art, it invites us to slow down, observe, and imagine the stories behind the surface.