Wekelijkse programma-vergadering A.V.R.O. 1928 - 1945

This photograph, titled Wekelijkse programma-vergadering A.V.R.O, immortalizes a meeting of minds, or at least bodies, around a table. Given the monochromatic palette, it's easy to overlook the surface as just informational, but there's an undeniable texture here. Look closer at the figure in the foreground, the grain of the dark fabric is heavy with detail, while the faces in the background seem almost bleached out, as though light is only permitted on the important details. The composition is classic, stable, almost oppressive in its formality. The men are arranged around the table like objects in a still life, each with his own weight and presence. It reminds me of a painting by, say, Courbet, but drained of its sensuality, instead what's left is a study of power, and who gets to sit at the table. The anonymity of the photographer only adds to this sense of detachment, an objective record of a moment carefully posed and preserved.