Groepsportret van Karl With en drie onbekende vrouwen liggend in het gras 1920 - 1936

Editor: Here we have a black and white photograph titled "Groepsportret van Karl With en drie onbekende vrouwen liggend in het gras," which translates to "Group portrait of Karl With and three unknown women lying in the grass." It was taken sometime between 1920 and 1936. They're literally surrounded by tall grass, like they're swimming in it. It gives me a kind of secluded, peaceful feeling. What strikes you when you look at this, curator? Curator: It's funny you say swimming; that tall grass certainly evokes a feeling of being submerged, doesn't it? For me, it’s about that specific moment captured; what were they talking about, what joke had just been told, what secrets were they sharing? It makes you want to join them. I wonder, who was Karl With, and what’s the relationship between these four individuals? It begs the question: is the act of anonymity as portrayed here, liberating or restrictive to the narrative, don't you think? Editor: That's such a fascinating point. Not knowing adds this mysterious layer, right? Maybe it’s also about escaping definition, escaping the strict portraiture traditions. Was Karl With the photographer, perhaps? The three women are thus anonymized not because they are unknown but by aesthetic choice. Curator: Precisely. The ambiguity really fuels the imagination, allowing us to project our own experiences and relationships onto this scene. The realism inherent with monochrome photography further contributes a touch of familiarity with the mundane: the viewer suddenly finds themselves amidst the scene, making sense of all the gazes locked in time. What could be more intriguing? I am particularly impressed by how simple composition blends harmoniously with nature's abundance, and manages to turn this ordinary picture into a visual poem. Editor: I agree. This has made me look at seemingly simple portraits very differently, realizing the depth that anonymity can bring. It's almost more intriguing than knowing everything! Curator: Exactly! The absence of detail is, in itself, the point. By doing that the artist has challenged conventions of portrait photography through simplicity!