Schapen voor de prinsesjes 1945 - 1946

This photo, Schapen voor de prinsesjes, by Anefo captures a black and white moment of humanity and animal innocence. I see that the artist probably stood back to capture the scene candidly. I imagine the artist thinking about how to document a moment that is both staged and unplanned: a child reaching out to touch something new. What was it like to handle a camera then? How much do you include, how much do you leave out? The focus is sharp, the foreground dense, while people recede into blurry shapes. The texture of the wool, the weight of the coats. When I look at this photo, I am transported back in time, feeling the artist's gaze as they press the shutter. I see a directness which reminds me that artists are always in conversation, speaking across time.