Untitled c. 1930 - 1935

This photograph by Toni von Horn is of a woman shrouded in a veil, caught in a moment of poised reflection. I’m totally drawn to the way the light and shadow play across the image, creating this incredible depth and mood. You can almost feel the weight and texture of the fabric, while the subject's expression suggests something very personal and profound. I wonder what von Horn was thinking, how she directed her subject to stand, and whether the setting was staged or found. I imagine that the veil might represent so many things: secrecy, beauty, transformation, or something in-between. The woman almost seems to be disappearing as she merges with the corner of the room and the shadow. The lace and light create this push and pull. Painters and photographers, we're all trying to do the same thing: capture a feeling or moment, to create new emotional spaces, and Toni von Horn’s image certainly does that.