Portret van een man met hoed in de hand 1889 - 1914

This cabinet card, 'Portret van een man met hoed in de hand' was made by Louis Devolder. Look closely, you can see where the photographic chemicals have aged over time, creating a warm sepia tone. It reminds us that art making, like life, is a process of constant change and transformation. The texture is smooth but the visual noise, in the form of spots and fading, has something in common with the rough energy of paintings by someone like Marlene Dumas. It's not about perfection, it’s about the feeling. Notice how the man holds his hat and gloves – props really – almost like he is slightly detached from the moment. There is an ambiguity. Is it staged formality or a peek at an unguarded moment? Maybe that’s what Devolder was going for. Photography, like painting, lets us catch those glimpses. It’s about opening up questions, not necessarily answering them.