c. 1900 - 1930
Vrouw knielt bij drie ganzen op een boerderij
Richard Tepe
1864 - 1952Location
RijksmuseumListen to curator's interpretation
Curatorial notes
Richard Tepe made this photograph, "Vrouw knielt bij drie ganzen op een boerderij" - Woman kneeling by three geese on a farm - at an unknown date. It's a photograph, but it almost feels like a drawing, right? The way the light and shadow create these soft, tonal gradations, especially on the geese, it feels incredibly intimate, like the artist was right there, sketching. Look at the way the texture of the brick wall contrasts with the smooth, almost porcelain-like quality of the geese's feathers. The woman kneeling, holding a goose, she's like a dark mass in the photo. Her hands disappear into the goose's body. It's a gesture of care, but also a little mysterious. What's going on here? The way the artist captured this fleeting moment, it reminds me of some of the early 20th century photographers, like Gertrude Käsebier, who were pushing the boundaries of photography as art. It's not just a snapshot, it's a carefully composed, emotionally resonant image.