Heinrich Clausen houdt wacht 1941 - 1945

"Heinrich Clausen houdt wacht" is a small photograph by an anonymous artist. The photo pictures a man standing on a street holding a rifle. I'm thinking about the moment the artist took this shot. Maybe they were documenting everyday life, trying to capture a specific person. The greyscale gives it this timeless, almost melancholy feel. The artist focuses on detail, like the texture of the brickwork on the building, and on the man's uniform. It's like the artist is trying to freeze a moment, to hold onto something fleeting. I think of other artists who've tried to capture fleeting moments - Degas with his ballerinas. I bet the person who took this photo never imagined their work would be seen by so many people, years later.