Portret van Leo Blumensohn, de eerste echtgenoot van Isabel Wachenheimer met donkere vraag en rechter zijscheiding in het haar, 1945-1949 1945 - 1949

This portrait of Leo Blumensohn, Isabel Wachenheimer's first husband, was produced sometime between 1945 and 1949 with an unknown process by an anonymous maker. The gray scale here lends the image a quality of starkness, as do the sharp lines of his hairline and features. It is impossible to say what tools were used to develop this picture, but the process has been carefully concealed to render a smooth surface. The texture of his hair provides a sense of chaotic energy, a counterpoint to the careful grooming and presentation of the subject. I find myself drawn to the man's eyes, which are large, inquisitive, and filled with a kind of sadness that makes you wonder about the circumstances under which the photograph was taken. Although the artist is unknown, the image reminds me of the work of August Sander in its formal, objective approach. As with all portraits, it’s interesting to remember that photography has the capacity to reveal while also concealing.