Groepsportret van meisjes die zijn verkleed in militaire kostuums, met opgeplakte snorren, sigaretten en laarzen c. 1897 - 1940

This photograph by Willem Hendrik Dikkenberg captures a group of girls dressed in military costumes, complete with fake mustaches, cigarettes, and boots. It’s a trip, right? I can only imagine the scene. What were they thinking? Were they playing a game? Mocking authority? Being silly for the camera? Each one inhabits their role in a different way. The girl sitting down is really going for it with the gesture! Photographs like these are reminders that art isn't just about fancy oil paint or bronze. Sometimes it's just about documenting a moment, a feeling, or a bit of real life. Dikkenberg’s work is about capturing a world and sharing a feeling that's totally specific, yet also timeless. Like, what does it mean to play dress up? Even today, artists are in conversation with each other, riffing off ideas and images from the past, trying to make sense of the world one artwork at a time.