Isabel Wachenheimer verkleed als pop tijdens een gemaskerd bal, februari 1934 1934

This photograph of Isabel Wachenheimer dressed as a doll for a masked ball was taken in February 1934 by an anonymous artist. The palette is simple, almost ghostly – a range of soft greys and whites, lending the image a timeless, dreamlike quality. Looking at the texture, I'm drawn to the way the light catches the fabric of her dress, especially the smocking around the neckline. It's so delicate, almost like a map of tiny gestures. The image looks like it's been printed on matte paper which gives the photograph a soft focus and flattens the depth of field, making the background seem ambiguous. There's something haunting about her eyes; they feel knowing, as if she understands the artifice of the costume. Perhaps this photograph is a conversation with earlier portraiture, like the work of Nadar, or maybe it is looking forward to the unsettling portraits of children by artists such as Henry Darger. In the end, art is always an open question.