Angler auf der Brücke (Anglers on the Bridge) c. 1930

Else Thalemann captured these figures with her camera, probably somewhere in Germany; two men fishing, or trying to, on either side of the wall. You have to wonder what Thalemann was thinking when she snapped this picture. Did she have to get special permission to take this image? Or was it just a quick shot before anyone could stop her? I imagine her, perhaps a little nervous, trying to keep her hands steady, wanting to capture the details of this odd, and probably forbidden, scene. This image is not just about the figures or the wall, it’s about the act of seeing. It invites us to contemplate what is visible and what remains hidden. Maybe it makes us think about the barriers, physical or otherwise, that separate us. Maybe Thalemann was interested in the relationship between people and the restrictions imposed upon them. It certainly speaks to the power of art to provoke thought, question norms, and connect us to shared human experiences.