Willem Witsen in de jury van de Rotterdamse Academie c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph, by J.H. Wolf, captures Willem Witsen in de jury van de Rotterdamse Academie. I love how a photo can catch a moment in time like this, preserving it for us to look at. It's like being a fly on the wall, watching these men – probably artists themselves – judging someone else's work. I wonder what they were thinking, what they were looking for. Were they generous, supportive? Or were they harsh, critical? It makes me think about my own work, and all the times I’ve been judged. It’s tough to put yourself out there, to make something and then have someone else decide if it’s good enough. As an artist, you’re always learning, always growing. Every painting is a conversation with the past, with all the artists who came before you. We’re all just trying to figure things out, to make something that feels true and real. This image captures a moment of that struggle, that ongoing dialogue.