Mannen van de Reichsarbeitsdienst 1940 - 1945

This photograph, Mannen van de Reichsarbeitsdienst, was made anonymously, and resides here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s a grayscale image, where the absence of colour really flattens the scene, making it feel immediate and stark, almost like a charcoal drawing. Look at how the light catches the backs of the men digging; they are defined by the barest tonal shifts, as though they are emerging from the ground itself. There’s a certain rawness to it, an honesty in the way it captures the grit and labour of these men. This photo reminds me of the work of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who was interested in portraying the lives of ordinary people with an unflinching eye. Like her, this photographer sees the beauty in the mundane, and the dignity in hard work. Ultimately, what makes this photo so compelling is its ambiguity. It invites us to bring our own experiences and perspectives to the table, to find our own meaning in the faces of these men.