[The Dolly Sisters] 1920s

This photograph, titled "The Dolly Sisters," was made by Walery, using gelatin silver print. The tones are so controlled. The way the light falls is just right; those fluffy headpieces are positively glowing. Light in photography is like color in painting – it can do almost anything. The balance between the dark and light areas lends the piece a theatrical sensibility; you can almost feel the anticipation of the curtain rising. Check out the dresses, how they catch the light. You can almost hear the music starting, those sequins shimmering as the sisters move. This photograph reminds me of how artists like Gerhard Richter use photography as a starting point, pushing at the edges of what images can mean. It suggests a world of glamour and possibility. It’s all there in the tonal balance, the way it hovers between abstraction and figuration, making us ask what it is we are really seeing.