Portret van een onbekende man 1910 - 1940

Coenraad Verschuur made this photograph of an unknown man; it’s an image of a process. A process of image making, and a record of someone’s existence. The surface and tones feel muted, with delicate gradations of light and shadow. The texture in the plain surround is quite beautiful. Verschuur’s touch feels considered and precise, creating a sense of depth and presence. Notice the man’s clasped hands, and the soft focus around his face. It’s a physical thing, this photo. A material object bearing witness. This photograph reminds me a little of those early portraits by someone like Gerhard Richter, but perhaps there is an early Eggleston in there too, a little Diane Arbus, all those early image makers working with film and light and the alchemy of the darkroom. Ultimately, though, like all artworks, this photograph defies easy categorization, inviting us to engage with its ambiguities and complexities.