Portret van een onbekende oude vrouw 1908 - 1913

This small portrait of an unknown woman was made by Peter Clausing sometime around the turn of the century, using photographic methods. Look at how the light seems to almost sculpt the woman’s face, fading into the background. The details are soft, with a gentle gradation from light to shadow. It’s like Clausing wasn't trying to capture a perfect likeness, but rather an essence, a mood. Her hat and the ruffles around her neck seem to almost dissolve into the background, a cloud of delicate lace. I love the subtle tones here, where everything is just a little bit out of focus, almost like a dream. In some ways, this reminds me of the work of Gertrude Käsebier, who also used photography to explore themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time. Photography is all about making choices, and here, the artist has made a choice to evoke softness and ambiguity, creating a space where we can project our own emotions and interpretations.