Groepsportret van drie jongens 1905

This sepia photograph of three boys was taken by Johan Christiaan Reesinck. The soft gradations of tone give it such a gentle, fuzzy feeling. Like a memory, right? I’m looking at the boy on the left, the one with the elaborate ruff. There’s something so poignant about the way his little hands are clasped, and the solemn look on his face, you know? The photographer has captured a moment, a stillness, but you can feel the potential for movement, for play, just beneath the surface. The way the light falls across their faces, how the darker tones define their features, it’s all so carefully observed. This image reminds me a bit of the work of Nadar, the way he captured the personalities of his sitters, not just their likenesses. It’s not just a record; it’s an encounter, a moment suspended in time, like all good art should be.