Portret van Luc Jonker en Herma Jonker van Wagensveld c. 1925

This small oval photograph shows a portrait of Luc Jonker and Herma Jonker van Wagensveld. I can see the photographer positioning Luc and Herma, asking them to tilt their heads. There are small adjustments to be made, the composition, the lighting. The camera’s clicking, capturing the moment! I am curious about the person behind the camera, an anonymous artist. What was it like for them to witness this moment? Were they friends or strangers? I think of other artists like Eugène Atget, known for his photographs of Parisian life, documenting the city and its inhabitants with a similar kind of quiet observation. And what could they tell us about Luc and Herma? What is certain is that the photographer left a mark through a thoughtful photograph. The photograph is more than an image; it is a testament to human connection and our collective memory.