Portretten 1940 - 1945

These black and white photographs, made by an anonymous artist, offer a glimpse into lives caught in the machinery of the twentieth century. I wonder, what was it like for this unknown photographer to capture these images? What were they thinking as they framed these portraits? There's a stillness, a formality, that speaks of duty and service. The contrast between light and shadow is striking. Each photograph seems to exist in its own little world, yet they're connected through the shared theme of portraying people in uniform. As a painter, I'm always thinking about how we represent figures, how we capture a sense of presence on a flat surface. This artist has done it with such sensitivity and care. Artists are always in conversation, across time and medium, inspiring each other's creativity. There is something in these portraits that hums with uncertainty, and speaks to me of broader shared human experiences.