Vier groepsportretten van Loentje Onnen met vrienden 1910 - 1911

These small gelatin silver prints by Carolina (Loentje) Frederika Onnen feel so diaristic, like a memory box. The restrained palette and careful compositions tell us something about the process of image making at this time. I’m immediately drawn to the bottom left print, with a group of figures arranged in the foreground, set against a dense, dark background of trees. You can see how the light filters through, and how the composition creates a sense of depth and intimacy. The surface has a slight sheen, and there are subtle variations in tone that give the image a tactile quality. It makes me think of the work of artists like Julia Margaret Cameron, who used photography to explore portraiture and storytelling, or even someone like Sophie Calle, who combines text and image to create conceptual narratives. Like much art, it invites us to engage with ambiguity, prompting multiple interpretations and personal reflections.