Groepsportret van meisjes die zijn verkleed in militaire kostuums, met opgeplakte snorren, sigaretten en laarzen c. 1897 - 1940

Willem Hendrik Dikkenberg made this gelatin silver print of girls dressed as soldiers sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. I love that the image is staged, yet it feels so playful. It's like watching kids play dress up and make believe. The sepia tones really set the mood, don't they? The light isn't harsh, it gives the whole scene a soft, dreamy feel. You can almost smell the dusty old costumes. The girls are all dolled up in their military getups, complete with fake mustaches, cigarettes, and boots. It's like they're trying on these new identities. But it's also just a snapshot of kids being kids, goofing off and having fun. It reminds me a bit of the work of photographers like Cindy Sherman, who also play with identity and performance in their images. Both artists invite us to question the stories we tell ourselves and the roles we play in society. They're like, hey, let's not take ourselves too seriously, okay? Let's embrace the absurdity of it all and have a laugh.