Studioportret van twee onbekende mannen (vermoedelijk) in sportkleding after 1907

Machiel Hendricus Laddé took this photograph of two men, probably in a studio, with a sepia-toned process, some time in the late 19th or early 20th century. The limited palette really lets you focus on the forms, the simple shapes, and how the light falls. It's fascinating how photography, like painting, is all about capturing light and shadow to create depth. Look how Laddé uses the backdrop, a blurry landscape, to push the figures forward. The texture of the print itself adds another layer, with its slightly worn edges and the subtle graininess that reminds you of old paper. I keep coming back to how these guys are posed. They look like they’re trying to be serious but there’s something a little playful about the whole thing, maybe the matching outfits? Artists like Rineke Dijkstra come to mind, the way she captures people in such an honest, almost vulnerable way. This photograph isn’t trying to be flashy; it’s just there, offering a quiet moment. Art’s like that, always echoing, always in conversation.