Groepsportret van vijftien kinderen Possibly 1914 - 1919

This photograph, 'Groepsportret van vijftien kinderen,' probably taken with a big, boxy camera by E. ten Cate, captures a moment, a fleeting arrangement of figures in a landscape. Look at how the children are arranged on the mound. They’re like a little pyramid of bodies, some in light clothes, others darker, creating a rhythmic pattern. It’s not a slick, professional portrait. There's something awkward and real about it. You can almost feel the scratchiness of the paper, the slight blur of movement. Photography is about time, right? This little scene becomes a kind of sculpture that reminds me of some of August Sander's portraits, especially the group shots, where people are posed, but there's always something a little off, a little human. This photo is a humble reminder that art is about finding the extraordinary in the everyday.