Drie portretten, afgebeeld J.J.S. Brandsma, E.K.A. de Neve en A. Fabius before 1906

These three portraits, made by an anonymous hand, probably using photographic reproduction, present J.J.S. Brandsma, E.K.A. de Neve, and A. Fabius. I’m wondering about this book and the way these photos are presented. It makes me think about how portraits create a sense of character. Here, the cropping and the arrangement, almost like playing cards, give an impression of authority and maybe even a sense of camaraderie. It's interesting how the portraits are framed. What might it have been like to create these portraits? The attention to detail, the way the subjects are posed... it all contributes to a feeling of staged confidence. Thinking about other painters, these portraits remind me of Luc Tuymans’s muted palette. I am reminded that artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.