Portret van een jonge vrouw 1890 - 1918

This portrait of a young woman was created by J. Siewers & Zoon. I don’t know anything about her, but I feel for the artist. Look at the soft sepia tones and how they define the sitter’s face and the folds of her blouse. Her eyes look directly out at us, and the artist has captured a real person. I imagine the photographer arranging the pose, making small adjustments, waiting for the right light, looking for the essence of who she is. It is clear that the artist and the sitter have collaborated in the process of making the portrait. It’s always a conversation between who is looking and who is being looked at, isn't it? A negotiation of expectations, desires, and intentions. A constant act of exchange. Across time, artists have always borrowed and stolen from one another, inspiring and challenging each other. It reminds us that art is not created in isolation but within a rich tapestry of influences, dialogues, and shared experiences.