Bij ontslag, 3 weken na de hechting. 1929

This photograph, taken in 1929 by the Hospitaal Batak Instituut, has the feeling of forensic documentation, yet it holds so much more. The tonality is beautiful, those shades of grey offering a kind of in-between state. It’s the marks on the man’s face that really grab me, healing but still raw. See how the light catches those small, imperfect lines? It’s like the process of healing is written right there on his skin, a map of something endured. I find myself thinking about Agnes Martin, about how a single, subtle line can carry so much weight, so much emotion. This image reminds us that art, even in its most functional forms, can be deeply resonant. It’s not just about capturing a likeness, but about revealing something about the human condition.