Portret van een onbekende man met snor 1887 - 1920

This photograph is by Henri Berssenbrugge, and portrays an unknown man with a moustache. It's a study in light and shadow, really, focusing on the sitter's face and the fabric of his clothing. I'm always drawn to the process, and in this piece, the way the light seems to almost melt into the photographic paper is particularly interesting. It’s like a dance between the physical world and the chemical processes of photography. Look closely at how the light defines the edge of his jaw, or the subtle gradations in his hair. It’s all in the details, right? Berssenbrugge's work reminds me a bit of early Man Ray, who also played with light and shadow to create these ghostly, ethereal portraits. Both artists invite us to see photography not just as a means of documentation, but as a space for experimentation and subjective expression. Anyway, who was this man, and what was he thinking? We'll never know for sure, and maybe that's the point.