Portret van Geertje Middelbeek 1890 - 1918

This photograph of Geertje Middelbeek was made by J. Siewers & Zoon, and you know, right away, I’m struck by how the process of image-making, even back then, shaped what we see. There's something about the sepia tones, that soft focus, that makes it feel like a memory, right? Everything's got this gentle fade, blurring the edges, softening the details. Look at the way her dress seems to blend into the background, almost like she's emerging from the shadows. The pearls around her neck though, have this great bright quality to them, as does the detailing on her cap. It’s an intriguing, beautiful thing. I'm reminded of some of Julia Margaret Cameron’s portrait photographs with all the scratches and blurs left in the frame. It reminds us that the beauty of the image is, that it is a crafted thing, with real presence. It's a testament to how artists can make us feel something real, even through a lens.