Portret van een onbekende man before 1903

This portrait of an unknown man by Max May seems to have been made with a camera. Looking at this black and white print, I’m reminded that paintings aren’t the only way that artists explore tone and figuration. I can imagine the photographer thinking about how to frame and light his subject to convey a particular impression. It’s clear this man is striking a pose with a cigarette, and it would have been interesting to be in the room, watching this unfold. Artists are always looking at each other’s work and stealing ideas. May would probably have been looking at paintings and thinking how to translate similar effects to his own medium. He has paid attention to the fall of light across the figure to create a sense of depth and form, just like a painter might. It's all about how light and dark interact.