Vrouw en drie kinderen in de streekdracht van Bunschoten-Spakenburg c. 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe captured this photo of a woman and three children in Bunschoten-Spakenburg dress, in sepia tones. The photograph is softly lit; the edges of the figures blend into the background, giving it an otherworldly feel. I get a sense of the mother’s watchful gaze over her brood, the children posing shyly, caught between childhood and adolescence. I wonder, what was going through Tepe’s head when he set up this shot? Maybe he wanted to capture a glimpse of everyday life. The traditional dress gives the image a sense of timelessness. It makes me think about how artists throughout time have looked to each other for inspiration, remixing old ideas in new ways. Whether it’s brushstrokes on a canvas or a click of the shutter, the act of creation is an open-ended process. There’s no right or wrong way to interpret it.