Walvisjagers voor het lichaam van een Groenlandse walvis before 1913

This small reproduction shows an image of whale hunters next to a Greenland whale, but there is no date listed. It was made by Anthon Kalland. The monochromatic greys of this image make me think of a bleak winter landscape. It is a tonal landscape where the absence of color emphasizes the harsh conditions of the hunt. I can only imagine how it must have felt for the artist, composing the image, capturing the whale hunters, and making the whale the main subject. What were they thinking? What did they want us to think about when looking at it? The material aspects of this photographic reproduction, with its paper grain, enhance the somber and historical feel. Artists are often in conversation with one another through their works. This image sparks curiosity. It's about the unknown, the hunt, and the harsh realities of the past. It’s a conversation across time, evoking a moment of deep reflection.