Portret van John Stol op de fiets met boeket bloemen en aan weerszijden van zich twee onbekende mannen 1914

This anonymous photograph from 1914 shows John Stol on a bicycle, surrounded by two men and a bouquet of flowers. Imagine the photographer, composing the scene in a moment of celebration, framing Stol as a champion. What were they thinking as they focused the lens? The texture is smooth, almost velvety, each figure rendered in shades of gray. The anonymous photographer captures a moment of triumph, the materiality of the photographic print adding depth and resonance. There’s a stillness to the image, a quiet dignity in the faces of the men. You can see the influence of early photography, an exchange of ideas across time. The framing is simple, direct, creating a space for multiple interpretations and meaning beyond a fixed reading.