Portret van een meisje, staand bij een stoel 1880 - 1930

This portrait of a girl standing by a chair was made by Alphonse Charles Dumesnil, using what looks like a photographic process. The way the image is constructed, with its sharp focus on the girl and a hazy background, gives it a dreamy, almost surreal quality. There’s something about the texture, the way the light falls, that feels very intimate and personal. It reminds me of early photography, where the process itself was so present in the final image. Look at the subtle gradations of tone and how they create depth and volume. The dress she wears, with its checked pattern, stands out. That's what I love about photography. It’s not just about capturing a moment, but about the layers of time and process that accumulate in the image. It’s a conversation across time. Think of someone like Julia Margaret Cameron, who was also experimenting with photography around this time. She was using the medium in new ways, pushing its boundaries, and creating images that feel both timeless and deeply personal.