Portret van een onbekende vrouw, lezend bij het raam before 1903

H.M. Carstensen made this intriguing photograph of an unknown woman reading by the window. The grayscale palette gives it a timeless quality, like a memory fading into the background, or being obscured by the light. Look at how the light pours in from the window, bathing the woman in a gentle glow. The way the light renders on her dress and face is interesting. Carstensen creates a soft contrast with the deep shadows in the corners of the room. See how the light almost seems to be reading with her, illuminating the page as much as her face. It’s like the light is a character, an active agent in the scene. It reminds me a little of Vilhelm Hammershøi's interiors, though with a less formal feel. Both artists share an interest in capturing quiet, domestic moments, filled with contemplative energy. It seems to me that art is always having a conversation with the past, and adding its own quiet voice to the mix.