Portret van Christina Maria Lucie Langhout 1907 - 1922

This is a photograph, "Portret van Christina Maria Lucie Langhout," by Jac. van Faassen. It's a small work, just 167 by 108 mm. The woman is positioned against a soft backdrop, slightly out of focus. This makes me think of a portraitist trying to capture a likeness, working and reworking the image to get it just right. You can see it in the soft shading around the figure, the gentle gradations of light and shadow. I wonder what Van Faassen was thinking as he framed this shot? What was it like to work in this early photographic process, with all its limitations and possibilities? This image reminds me that as artists we’re all in conversation with each other across time. We build on what came before, responding, reacting, and pushing back, each of us finding our way toward something new. I am inspired by his work and all the painters that came before me.