Portret van een onbekende man before 1903

This intriguing black and white portrait of an unknown man by Robert Renger-Patzsch feels so process-oriented, you can sense it emerged through layers of development, like it was grown rather than simply captured. I’m struck by the surface quality. There's a depth that feels both intentional and accidental. The tones range from almost pure white to velvety blacks, built up slowly, chemically, so that the end result feels like a negotiation between light and shadow, a kind of alchemical dance. Look at how the shadow under his brow makes his gaze so intense. It's not just about likeness; it's about presence, a quiet declaration of being. This piece makes me think about other photographers like Karl Blossfeldt, who were also interested in revealing the inner structures of things. Like them, Renger-Patzsch understands that art isn't just about what we see, but how we see. And more importantly, what we *feel* when we see.