Fotoreproductie van een gravure naar het schilderij Langs moeders graf door Jozef Israëls before 1871

This photogravure by Wegner & Mottu reproduces Jozef Israëls' painting, "Langs moeders graf." Note how the monochromatic palette and soft focus yield a pervasive sense of solemnity. The composition’s power lies in its stark simplicity: a father, burdened with grief, carries an infant, while a young boy accompanies them. The figures emerge from a diffuse background, their forms delineated through subtle tonal gradations rather than sharp lines. Light subtly models their faces and clothing, adding depth. Israëls was a key figure in the Hague School, a movement known for its realistic depictions of Dutch life. Through its formal elements, this photogravure evokes a feeling of melancholy but also subtly challenges prevailing notions of beauty and the aesthetic conventions of its time. It invites us to reflect on the interplay between loss and memory.