Familie van den Berg poserend voor "De Hoene"in Laren bij Saar Smele [onz] 1912 - 1918

This photograph, by Hendrik Herman van den Berg, captures his family posing in front of "De Hoene" in Laren. It's really interesting to look at the tonal range here, from the almost white dresses on the left through to the dark suiting of the men on the right. It’s like the artist is building up all this density and darkness, mark by mark. I love the physicality of the image, it feels like a relic, a time capsule, like something found in an attic! You can see it has aged and faded, yet it provides a window into a different era. Look at the brickwork in the house, and how it’s been softened and obscured by the climbing ivy. The shapes of the figures in the center become a kind of doorway, their hats and shoulders mimic the architecture. The photo reminds me of some of the dark and moody work of Paula Modersohn-Becker, whose portraits of the people around her were so raw and honest. Ultimately, this image is about time, and the way that the past is always present, just out of reach.