Portret van een jonge vrouw met oorbellen 1899 - 1908

This tiny photograph of a young woman with earrings, about the size of your palm, was made by Verbeke-Schodts Fils. The sepia tones lend it a dreamy, almost otherworldly quality. I’m struck by the framing; it’s so precise, so controlled, particularly when you compare it to the blurred edges of the woman’s face. Those subtle tonal shifts around her cheek suggest the artist was less interested in capturing every detail than in creating a mood, an atmosphere. I love how the texture of her lace collar is almost palpable, you can nearly feel the delicate fabric against your fingertips. This tactile quality is not dissimilar to the paintings of Agnes Martin, the way her subtle variations in tone, color, and texture invite you to slow down and really *see* what’s in front of you, to experience the work in a physical, immediate way. It reminds me that art is about seeing, sensing, and feeling, not just understanding.