Vrouw in klederdracht met breiwerk, staande tussen kale bomen 1920 - 1940

This is a photograph by G. Hidderley of a woman in traditional dress standing amongst bare trees. The sepia tone gives the picture a melancholic feel, a bit like looking back through old family albums. What I love about this image is its texture, or maybe the texture it implies. The rough bark of the trees, the soft wool she’s knitting, the crispness of her bonnet – you can almost feel them. There's a really striking contrast between the angularity of the trees and the soft curves of the woman and the knitting she holds. It’s funny how a picture, even a small one like this, can feel so full of quiet stories. It reminds me a little of the paintings of Vilhelm Hammershøi, that same sense of stillness and introspection. Art, at its best, invites us into these spaces of contemplation, where meaning is never fixed, but always unfolding.