Portret van een onbekende man before 1903

This photograph of an unknown man was produced in 1868 by C.J. von Dühren; I love the way he captures the face in profile, a timeless composition. There's a real delicacy to the tones, which move from grey, to charcoal, to almost white. It's something about the way those lighter tones hit the very tip of his nose, and also the curve of his cheek, that gives the piece its subtle power. I get the sense that Dühren was interested in the process, too. The texture of the photograph feels really smooth. It's almost like he's trying to hide or obscure all the evidence of the making of the image. As a painter, I know all too well the urge to just keep working, and reworking, until something almost disappears. This photograph reminds me a little of those works of the photographer Karl Blossfeldt – who was active around the same time – in its focus on the natural world. But also in the way that art continues a quiet, slow conversation across time.