Zittende vrouw 1907 - 1916

This small portrait, made by Johannes Hendrikus Antonius Maria Lutz, captures a seated woman against a patterned backdrop, likely using a photographic process with hand-applied color. The hues are muted, creating a dreamy, almost melancholic atmosphere. The image's surface has a tactile quality; you can almost feel the grain of the paper and the slight pooling of color in areas like her dress and the background tapestry. Look closely at the way the light catches her hands, highlighting the delicate texture of her skin against the dark fabric. The careful application of color brings warmth to her face and a subtle vibrancy to the geometric designs behind her. There's a raw, handmade quality here, embracing imperfections and accidents as part of the process. It reminds me a little of early Pictorialist photography, like something by Gertrude Käsebier, where the focus is less on perfect representation and more on evoking mood and atmosphere. Like any good artwork, this piece invites you to linger, to imagine the sitter's story, and to appreciate the beauty in its quiet ambiguity.