Groepsportret van vijf meisjes in klederdracht, vermoedelijk in Volendam c. 1900 - 1910

G. Hidderley made this small photograph, "Groepsportret van vijf meisjes in klederdracht, vermoedelijk in Volendam", sometime in the past, and although it looks like a simple group portrait, I wonder if it’s actually a complex study in pattern. The photograph is black and white, or maybe more accurately, shades of gray, which mutes everything. The girls are lined up, each in a different patterned dress, but they are also all wearing the same bonnet. Look how each girl's bonnet is like a little hat with wings! The bonnets have a lace pattern that is slightly different in each case, some more geometric, others more floral. The beauty of this piece lies in its attention to the details of their clothing and the texture of the lace. It reminds me a little of the work of Sophie Calle. In both cases, it is not about 'perfection' but something in the moment, something real.