Zelfportret van Wilhelm Bandelow before 1901

This self-portrait of Wilhelm Bandelow, by an anonymous artist, captures a moment frozen in time. What I love about photographs is how they show, or rather suggest, that art-making is a process of exploration and discovery. The textures and surfaces are rendered so tactilely that I feel I could reach out and touch them. I am drawn to the way the tones build up, creating a sense of depth and volume. In the way he stares directly at us, there’s a kind of intimacy, or dare I say, vulnerability. Thinking about it now, I am reminded of the work of artists like Cindy Sherman, who also used photography to explore themes of identity and self-representation. Ultimately, this photograph invites us to contemplate the complexities of human existence and the ongoing quest for meaning and understanding. It’s a conversation between us and the artist that evolves over time.